What on earth is Chifa? A flavour first for Sydney tastebuds

Folklor, the new restaurant kid on the block at Walsh Bay, brings Cantonese flavours fused with Peruvian food to the table in a first for Sydney.

A Causa roll at Luis Guzman and Hector Chung’s new venue, Folklor, in Dawes Point. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Only a year since opening Warike, his first restaurant in Sydney, Peruvian born expat Luis Guzman has opened a second venue.

Guzman, along with chef and business partner and head chef Hector Chunga, have opened Folkor in Walsh Bay.

The restaurant is twice the size of Surry Hill’s Warike and leans into the Chinese influence in Peruvian food called Chifa.

It’s a cuisine that is yet to be found in Sydney, and an achievement for the former Operations Manager who moved to Sydney in 2010 and started cooking dishes from his homeland and sharing his creations on social media during Covid.

“We weren’t looking to open up another place this soon but I was looking to buy a house and I was on a real estate website and for whatever reason I clicked on the commercial properties section and we saw this place,” Guzman said.

A selection of dishes at Folklor. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

That was in March. From there, Guzman and Chunga developed a concept for the restaurant.

“We wanted to again highlight Peruvian food, but do something different to Warike,” he said.

Peruvian Luis Guzman and Hector Chung, at their new venue, Folklor. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Trio tiradito; king fish; tuna and salmon. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“While that restaurant leans into the Japanese influence on Peruvian food, Peruvian Chinese hasn’t been done in Sydney as of yet,” he said.

“Chifa in Peru is the biggest thing. We used to eat chifa once a week.”

Born from the migration of Chinese immigrants to Peru in the 19th Century, Chifa fuses classic Cantonese flavours with robust Peruvian staples and uses techniques like wok frying.

Peruvian food has been the in demand cuisine in gastronomical hubs like London and New York.

Jalea ponja at Folklor. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Wagyu a lo pobre nigiri. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Two restaurants in Lima feature in the top 20 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List.

The success of Warike, and now opening Folklor, say Guzman quit his day job earlier this year and know solely works in hospitality.

“I’ve been working hard and obviously it’s good to see efforts paying off. That’s what I like about Sydney, if you work hard enough it’s level ground. And I’ve got the best people around me who are supporting me,” he said.

Guzman is hosting a VIP launch event for Folklor on June 21st.