Q: How long has Jora Peruvian Food been at The Market?  

A:  Jora opened on December 15, 2019. We started to build our clientele right as the pandemic hit- the toughest time for every small business!

Q: Describe your restaurant in a few words: 

A: Peruvian. Delicious. Different. 

Q: What is your favorite dish you make? 

A: Our ceviche because of the base, which is our special tiger milk recipe. It requires attention to detail to find the right balance of acidity and flavors. From north to south Peru, there are mountains, jungles and coastal regions; techniques on making ceviche vary throughout Peru, but the ingredients remain the same. After WWI and WWII, many people began to emigrate from China, Japan, Italy and Spain. Peruvian Ceviche and other Peruvian dishes are influenced by these cultures to create culinary delights found nowhere else in the world.  

Q: What is the inspiration behind most of your recipes? 

A: We cook as if we're cooking for family. We remember making fresh ceviche from fish caught back home. Our recipes remind us of Peru where we were born and raised. We also draw inspiration from all of our experience in the restaurant industry.

Q: What is an interesting cooking technique you use? 

A: Flaming the dishes, which is originally a Chinese technique. It gives smokiness to the meat from the high heat and a caramelization process takes place which makes it hard to put your fork down.

Q: What led up to you two starting your restaurant? 

A: We have a love of food from our home country and wanted to share that with the world. When we met each other, Juan was more than impressed when he tasted my ceviche. Juan has an accounting background and I had been working in the industry for a while as a side job but always wanted to make it something more. Juan asked me to be his partner in opening Jora as his Chef.

Q: What is your favorite part about San Pedro Square? 

A: You can come here and have food from different countries! It's a one-stop-shop, if you're feeling Indian, you have that, or if you're feeling Mexican, you get tacos!

Q: What is the most fun thing you’ve done in Downtown San Jose?  

A: We’ve had our most fun here at The Market! Management schedule live bands that play good music. The environment is great, great music, good food to choose from and if your thirsty a good variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. 

Q: Give us a few fun facts about yourself:  

A: Both of us own husky dogs. Arturo owns a girl and a boy husky, Luna and Lucky. Juan owns a husky, Drako, who is Lucky’s brother!