Carlos Chavaux is a radio announcer and host of the gastronomic program Más de Uno Gourmet on Radio Lanzarote, but he is also an entrepreneur who has reinterpreted his family's churro recipe with Canarian innovations and has signed the opening of new franchises in different parts of the Canary Islands, the peninsula, and other places in Europe.
The Arrecife entrepreneur explains in an interview for Radio Lanzarote with Techy Acosta the family origin of his business, his gastronomic innovations, and his expansion plans.
- When did your project with Pinocho churros begin?
We've been here for exactly two years. It's been crazy, I wouldn't have even thought in my wildest dreams that Churros Pinocho would get this far. I'm proud and my mother can't believe it, because they bear her father's name
- For those who don't know, why did you call them Pinocchio?
It was my grandfather's stage name, who had a circus and was a clown. The fact that his name will be in many parts of the world is incredible. What I like most is that my mother and her siblings can see it. I want to take my grandfather's name and Lanzarote's name all over the world.
- Where do Churros Pinocho franchises open?
We already have nine to open. Two of them in Lanzarote. At the end of March or beginning of April we will open one in the Biosfera shopping center and the other in the NUA shopping center, which is the new shopping center in Costa Teguise opposite Las Cucharas.
Outside the island two will open in London, and one in Luxembourg, Madrid, Barcelona, Salamanca and Tenerife.
- A family tradition, reinforced by your culinary studies…
Yes, I studied cooking for five years and in my maternal family everyone has dedicated themselves to the world of the fair. I have cousins who are fifth generation churro makers. Although precisely my mother, who is the youngest of six siblings, was the one who completely detached herself from that world. We came to Lanzarote when I was 2 years old. I grew up in El Lomo.
I have a peninsular accent because when I turned 10, I went to Cadiz until I was 19 and studied Hospitality and Tourism at the San Roque school, but I feel very "conejero", I love Lanzarote very much and I bet on local produce
“Our slogan: If you find oil in our churros, we’ll give you your money back”
- Why are your churros gourmet?
I think they are gourmet and it has cost me a personal war with my cousins who told me: "What nonsense, since you do a gastronomic program, you think everything is gourmet”. (Laughter).
The story began with Horacio, a churro maker who had been making churros in Lanzarote for 40 years. He gave us the opportunity to take over his license at the Teguise market. Then I called my family, I asked them if they could teach me. When I fried for the first time with them, I was surprised that the churros came out dry, from a deep fryer full of oil.I didn't understand it, but I discovered that it involves a temperature technique and a dough technique, which is over 100 years old, so it's not just any churro, it's a gourmet churro.
- Also the chocolate and the fillings are special, aren't they?
Yes, we work with a high-end pastry chocolate, we don't dip the churros in chocolate, but rather we paint them by hand.
Instead of the traditional filling, we wanted to make a smaller version, which can be eaten in one bite
- Innovation applied to churros…
It’s about doing something different. What I am very clear about is that I want to change the concept of the churro. We tend to think that it’s only for once a week, that it will make us feel heavy, that it makes you fat… Our churros have no oil. Our slogan is precisely: “If you find oil in our churros, we’ll give you your money back”.
- And how do gofio fritters arise?
We make gofio churros from minute one. As soon as I learned with my family, I called La Molina, asked for a kilo of millo gofio and we made them for the first time at the first agricultural fair in Teguise, where we gave 800 elderly people an afternoon snack. We have also made them on Canary Islands Day and we have made them for many Sundays, I like gofio ones much more than traditional ones
I have considered making only gofio churros even in the franchise. We are looking at the costs because it is true that the oil darkens much more, that it burns more. Regardless of that, they will be on the menu and the fillings will be 100% gofio.
- And the churros with cheese from Madrid Fusión?
When the opportunity arises to go to Madrid Fusión, which is one of the most important gastronomic fairs, you have to innovate, we made them first for the last Teguise Agricultural Fair, gofio fritter filled with goat cheese from El Faro or Montaña de Haría, white chocolate and lime.
- How has the response been?
We were at Churros San Ginés, very well-known in Madrid, who congratulated us. We were lucky that Spanish Television interviewed us, great chefs have tried them, Carlos Latre was also there trying them…
