The use of the masculine gender has been adopted for ease of reading and has no discriminatory intent.
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Qori Inti: the art of cooking under a radiant sun
Author: Rafael Forteza
Reading time: 5 minutes
Qori inti or Radiant Sun in Aymara, the language spoken by the Andean First Nation of the same name. A radiant sun that bathes the land of the Aymaras almost all year round. Qori inti is the name of Ruth Moscoso’s restaurant in the northern Chilean commune of Pica, in the province of Tamarugal. A name so aptly chosen to describe this unique place and the woman who created it.
Ruth’s smile was the first thing that struck me during our exchange. It radiated like the Sun. It was natural to be swept up in her world. Ruth comes from the Altiplano Chileno, from a family of farmers and stockbreeders. She first studied to teach the Aymara language in rural areas. Ruth and her family are proud of their identity, founded on respect for ancestral knowledge and the Madre Tierra. They founded Layra Kirki, a family association dedicated to preserving their culture. To honor this through a concrete project, Ruth gave birth to the Qori Inti restaurant.
Valuing women, environmental sustainability and respect for tradition are at the heart of her initiative. At Qori Inti, seven women cook with local, seasonal ingredients, using eight solar ovens powered solely by the radiant sun to pay homage to Aymara gastronomic traditions. Quinoa, llama and potatoes are the main ingredients of the restaurant’s typical yet innovative dishes.
“Many things converge in a meal. It’s a blend of tradition and flavors that tell a story”. With this conviction in mind, Ruth has overcome many challenges to lead Qori Inti to become a sanctuary of sharing, celebration and empowerment. The trial and error of mastering solar cooking and asserting herself as a woman entrepreneur in a patriarchal environment are a few examples.
Qori Inti has been around since 2012. Ruth is fascinated by how far what started out as a dream has come. Her gratitude for how far she’s come doesn’t stop her from dreaming even bigger. In particular, she hopes that Qori Inti will be able to connect with even more people in the future. Ruth also hopes that the restaurant will evolve into a genuine laboratory for traditional gastronomic creation, cultivating our connection to the earth.
For Ruth, the Qori Inti story is one of sharing. With family, colleagues and friends. “There’s strength in numbers”, as she so aptly puts it. I’m grateful that she took the time to share it with me. Ruth is a woman surrounded by others, but also a woman who brings people together and inspires. Like a radiant Sun.
For more information on Qori Inti, and to make a reservation if you are lucky enough to visit northern Chile: https://qoriinti.my.canva.site/.
You can also read this article on solar cookers!
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The use of the masculine gender has been adopted for ease of reading and has no discriminatory intent.
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