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Head chef Marsia Taha has been at the helm of Gustu, Bolivia’s most acclaimed restaurant, for five years. When out of La Paz, she spends ample time in the countryside, working with producers to source and revive local ingredients.
This interview is part of The World Made Local, a global collaboration between the seven international editions of Condé Nast Traveler in which 100 people in 100 countries tell us why their home turf should be your next destination.
How would you describe La Paz in your own words?
La Paz is so culturally diverse and biodiverse. What makes it so interesting and different is that it’s constructed in a hole and surrounded by so many powerful mountains. It gives the city a certain kind of energy. The city is also 13,123 feet above sea level and drops, so in one hour you can change almost 6,562 feet in altitude from one point to the other. The city is divided between Andes, Amazon, and the valleys, so we have different ecosystems and microclimates, which is great for foraging, which we do at the restaurant.
Is there a smell or a sound or a flavor that instantly reminds you of Bolivia?
Everything is made with potatoes because we have so many potatoes in the Andes. Like chunyo, the dried potato. We put this product in every single dish we have in La Paz. Another thing that reminds me of La Paz is the slang. If you’re being sarcastic or telling a joke, all the Paceñans [people from La Paz] have the same reaction. They will all say, “Eaaaaaaa” at the same time. It’s the most Paceñan thing!
Tell us about your connection to your home.
I was born in Bulgaria—my mother is from Bolivia—but I moved to La Paz when I was five, so all my childhood memories are from Bolivia. My grandmother was a professor, so we never cooked at home, but she would take me to the market. That’s when I was introduced to flavor and started tasting local street food.
You’re the chef. Tell us where to eat.
For breakfast, Wallake in Mercado Rodriguez. For lunch, Ancestral restaurant, and for dinner, Gustu.
What do you miss most about your country when you’re away?
Definitely street food that you won’t find outside Bolivia. I also miss seeing the mountains that surround the city. You can see the Illimani, a huge mountain, from everywhere in La Paz, and it’s one of the most representative things of the city.
Where can we go to relax?
A place to hang out and enjoy some peace is the Allkamari Hotel in Valle de las Animas. Go there for a cold beer. Then take a small hike and have another cold beer. Another option is Coroico, located one and a half hours away. There’s a nice village where you can rent great, affordable houses with amazing views.
Follow Marsia Taha on Instagram @marsia_taha_gustu
