Val Chang, Itamae chef and co-owner

Val Chang was just 6 when her father left her and her older brother in their grandmother’s care in Peru and came to find work in Miami as a sushi chef. When the Changs reunited in Miami nine years later, it was the start of a long journey together that led to all three being named James Beard Award nominees in 2022 for the restaurant they started as a family, Itamae — which also brought them national acclaim. Val tells co-hosts Carlos Frias, the Miami Herald food editor, and Amy Reyes, editor of Miami.com, why Peruvian food is the best (all Peruvians will say this), why Inca Kola is the best Latin soda (another a Peruvian hot take) and how Japanese and Chinese cuisine influences her food and cooking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices