Being of Chinese descent, Andres grew up in a family where food was priority. Andres acknowledges that, ‘his mother could control the universe from the kitchen’ and as such from a very early age fell in love with good food.  Believing that, if you want something done right you better do it yourself, Andres entered the culinary world.

Andres first came to the Pedasi region about 3 years ago on holiday, and was immediately captivated by the natural beauty and abundance of activities.  A few months later Andres relocated to Pedasi and has never looked back.   He enjoys life on the Azuero where he says, ‘the people are nice, the fishing is excellent, and the beaches are beautiful’. When he’s not in the kitchen, or entertaining guests at AMAestancia, you will find Andres walking the beaches with his dog, George Harrison, enjoying the view and the pleasures of Azuero life.

Andres has traveled extensively, living in 7 different countries throughout Asia, South and Central America.  Often Andres’ trips have revolved around the cuisine of each new place, its’ unique, distinct, and similar characteristics.   Andres maintains that his extensive traveling has had the largest influence on his culinary palette and methods.  Time and again the menus which Andres designs are connected to moments in places that he loves, like ‘walking the night markets in Taiwan, or fishing in the Caribbean’ which translates to a Chinese Dim Sum starter, fried red snapper with Caribbean coconut rice main course, and homemade mango sorbet for desert.