Chewing Happiness is a dedicated space for authentic Peruvian recipes, reimagined for the modern home cook. It is my way of showing the world how approachable, vibrant, and unique Peruvian cooking really is.
Hi, I’m Brandon Castillo.
I’m the chef, photographer, and Peruvian behind Chewing Happiness.
I was born and raised in Lima. I grew up mostly in my grandmother Ismelda’s house, surrounded by my abuelo, my cousins, my aunts. That house was always full.
My abuela spent most of her life in the kitchen. She was a hardworking, honest, loving woman, and cooking was just what she did, every day, for everyone. There was always something on the stove. Some days it was Caldo de Gallina, some days Papa Rellena, some days just a simple vegetable soup. It wasn’t fancy. It was just how she took care of her family.
I helped her when I could. Not because I knew I wanted to be a chef, I didn’t think about it like that. I just liked being there. Helping was more interesting than sitting around. This was before screens took over, before internet was really a thing in Peru, at least not the way it is now. So you found things to do, and for me that was standing next to my abuela, watching how she did things, handing her ingredients, learning without realizing I was learning.
After high school I went to culinary school in Lima. From there I went straight into kitchens. I worked in all kinds of places, franchises, small gastropubs where I made the daily special, a Brazilian steakhouse, a spot in a small town in Illinois that was half steakhouse half bar so I cooked for both kitchens at the same time. In New York I also worked under a Michelin-starred chef, which pushed me to become more diligent, more consistent, I grew a lot as a Chef there.
I worked across kitchens in Illinois and New York mostly, and every place taught me something different. But the one thing I kept doing no matter where I worked was cooking Peruvian food at home. Because the truth is, I started Chewing Happiness out of homesickness. I missed Lima. I missed the flavors I grew up with. Cooking those dishes in my apartment was the closest I could get to being back.
That feeling hasn’t gone away. If I went back to Peru today, everything would be different. The streets, the city, the way things move. But the people I love are still there. And the food, the real food, the kind my abuela made, that lives in me now. A lot of the dishes on Chewing Happiness are rooted in what I ate growing up in that kitchen. Others I picked up later, working in restaurants or just experimenting at home. But the foundation, the flavors I always come back to, started there.
The Chef & The Lens
I’m also a commercial photographer. Every photo on this site is mine. I shoot it the way I plate it, no styling tricks, no stock images. What you see is what came out of my kitchen. So before you even turn on the stove, you already know what you’re aiming for.
Can You Actually Cook Peruvian Food in the US?
Absolutely. You don’t need to live in Lima to make this work.
Peruvian food has exploded in global popularity, and getting your hands on authentic ingredients is easier than ever. Brands now sell their authentic pastes, spices, and specialty items online, meaning you can order almost everything you need directly from Amazon or local specialty shops.
Because I cook here in the US, I know exactly how frustrating ingredient sourcing can be. That is why my recipes are built for the American home cook; I include exact brand recommendations, direct links, and smart ingredient substitutes whenever possible so you never hit a roadblock.
Recipes You Can Trust
Every recipe on Chewing Happiness is tested multiple times before it goes live. I develop them with the techniques I learned in professional kitchens but write every step so it makes sense at home on a weeknight. No guesswork, no shortcuts on flavor. If I post it, it works.
Let’s Connect!
Whether you want to cook along, ask a question about a recipe, or work together on something, I’d love to hear from you. Find me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube as @ChewingHappiness or use the contact form below.
