Three Chefs, One Island: The Stories Behind Autentico’s Unforgettable Flavors

For two nights, the heart of Oranjestad felt like it was glowing from the inside out. The music, the colors, the string lights drifting above the crowd, the smell of grilled and citrusy and buttery things floating in the air. It all came together in this warm, buzzing celebration that only food can create. And honestly, as someone who lives here and has watched the island’s culinary scene grow, it felt like a proud moment.

I spent the festival following three international chefs who came to Aruba not just to cook but to share pieces of themselves. Now that the excitement has settled, their stories feel even more meaningful.

Christian Petroni

Christian has this energy that you feel before he even says a word. It’s funny because he carries that classic Italian-New Yorker vibe without trying. You can totally see how he ended up on TV. For Autentico, he teamed up with our own Zaida Everon from T2Pan Sourdough Boutique. Together they created something simple, cozy, and honestly addictive. A hand-rolled semolina breadstick covered in toasted sesame seeds, brushed with grass-fed butter, wrapped in aged prosciutto, and served with tangy giardiniera and a generous chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano. It was one of those “why is this so good” moments. But when Christian talked about the dish, what he kept praising wasn’t the prosciutto or the cheese. It was Zaida and her team. Their precision, their calm, the way they make bread like it’s a love language. I lost count of how many times he joked about trying to smuggle breadsticks home. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame him if he did. What stayed with him the most though was the warmth of the people here. Everywhere he walked, someone made him feel welcome. He told me he wanted his dish to feel like connection. Something that reminds you of a summer memory. Something that feels shared. It brought him right back to his childhood summers in Ponza: salty air, simple food, eaten with people you love.

Jaime Pesaque

Meeting Jaime Pesaque was like meeting a quiet icon. He’s soft-spoken until he talks about food, and then you can feel years of passion behind every word. And listen, the man deserves it. His restaurant Mayta in Lima landed at number 39 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list this year. For Autentico, he partnered with the team at Elements, led by Chef Federico Martin. They dove straight into local ingredients. Shrimp, citrus, passion fruit. All the things that make Aruban seafood shine. What came out of that kitchen was a shrimp ceviche with ají-infused leche de tigre, bright lime, and a splash of passion fruit. It was fresh and punchy and felt like Peru and Aruba were having this really fun conversation on a plate. When I asked Jaime to describe the whole experience, he said three words: diversión, sabor, unión. Fun, flavor, and union. Then he laughed when I asked what song the dish would be and said it would definitely be a salsa. Jerry Rivera. Full rhythm, full joy.

Tim Golsteijn

And then there’s Tim. This man walked into Autentico looking like the romantic lead of a telenovela and then casually reminded everyone that he also has a Michelin star. Tim is big on emotion when it comes to food. He believes dishes should connect to memories more than technique, and that really shaped what he created at the festival. He teamed up with local chef Urvin Croes from Infini, and together they delivered a dish that tasted like a childhood memory dressed up for a night out. Crispy potatoes in a miso-sambal sauce, paired with Gouda, gherkin, and Dutch-Indonesian touches. The moment he tasted fermented sambal with the gherkin, he lit up. It instantly reminded him of eating with his grandmother. When I asked what he wanted people to feel, he said he hoped the dish would make them crave another bite but also trigger their own childhood moments. And then he pointed at his arm, where “Stay Hungry” is tattooed. His motto isn’t just something he says, he lives by it. “I’m just a cook,” he told me. “I make food and I hope people love it. If they’re happy, I’m happy. The best things in the world come together with good food.” Hearing it in person honestly made the whole thing feel even sweeter.

What Autentico Really Showed Us

This second year of Autentico proved something I think we all know deep down. Food brings us together in a way nothing else does. It connects cultures, sparks memories, and turns strangers into friends standing in line for the same dish. Looking back, I’m still riding the high of everything that happened. And the only thing on my mind now is, if this is year two, imagine what next year is going to bring.

I already can’t wait.