The rabbit farmer Víctor Cejas has dedicated his entire life to cooking. After 23 years gaining experience on the mainland, he opened his first "From my kitchen to your table" in Seville and it went well, but he had to close due to the pandemic.
Currently, back in Lanzarote, he has reopened it, this time in Arrecife, and with the help of his son Echedey Cejas, with whom he manages the business. They talk about it in an interview with the radio program Mas de Uno Gourmet on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero.
- Víctor, how did you get into the world of cooking?
When I finished EGB, I didn't want to study, I wanted to work. My father was a head chef, and that summer I went to help him, though more than helping him, I was going to eat the chocolate mousses he made, to be honest (Laughter).
But that's when the bug bit me. I started studying cooking at 14 and worked at night in Puerto del Carmen, in many restaurants, hotels, and so on.
- And you went to the peninsula…
Lanzarote always felt small to me back then. Now it appeals to me more, but I wanted to see new things. I've spent 23 years on the mainland: Seville, Tarragona, Guadalajara, Huelva, etc.
- How did "From my kitchen to your table" come about?
Víctor C: I met my wife in Seville, and I settled there. I'm also a football coach, and while coaching, I tore my ankle ligaments and was home for three months. One day, a woman called me and asked if I would make a stew for 60 people. Then she asked me: "Why don't you start something like this, making food for people?".
All that time I was out of work, I thought about it until I decided and opened "From my kitchen to your table" in Seville. We were open for a year and two months and it went very well, but with the pandemic we had to close until the opportunity arose in Lanzarote.
- Echedey, how did you discover cooking?
I didn't want to study, I was very bad at it, and my father told me one day: "If you don't want to study, then go to work." And I went to work with him, and that's where I discovered cooking.
- What is it like to work in a family business?
Víctor C: At home, we're all in hospitality, my wife too, and we've always known how to separate home from work. Meaning, at home we don't talk about work and at work we don't talk about home. And we've managed that very well, honestly.
- Who decides the menu?
Víctor C: It's a bit common. We always cover for each other, when one can't make it, the other does. We also share the kitchen, although we're both side-by-side, but he handles the cold side a bit more and I handle the hot side a bit more. Then there are times when I go more into the office and he covers the hot side for me.
Echedey C: And there we are getting closer, we have fit in very well.
- How complicated it is to feed a regular clientele every day…
Víctor Cejas: I've always said that the most complicated job in the kitchen is a mother's, feeding the same people every day. And for it to be something different every day is very complicated.
We have clients who come daily and although we have five or six dishes that we always repeat, we always have variety. We are restless people and we are thinking about cooking every day, seeing things, reading…
- Where is the place?
Echedey C: In Simón Bolívar Park, where La cocina de Jose used to be.
- What are your hours?
Víctor C: Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- I understand that it includes home delivery orders…
Víctor C: Yes, we have three ways: takeout; chef at home (to serve food like in a restaurant in your own home) and catering.
These days we also have a Christmas menu in addition to what we have on display.
