Chef Lisa Perdomo is a Kettering native who received her undergraduate degree in business and her graduate M.B.A. from the University of Dayton. She is married to Mr. Perdomo, who is a native from Columbia, who received an engineering management degree from the University of Dayton. The UD Flyer couple runs and owns Arepas & Co which serves a type of Americanized Columbian cuisine. Her food is flavorful, fresh and fast.
Arepas & Co is located at 1122 E Dorothy Ln in Kettering.
Initially out of college Lisa worked for the University of Dayton for 10 years. Afterward she had a coffee shop in Cincinnati, but decided the commute was a bit too much and ended up bringing contacts together in order to become a vendor at the 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton as Arepas & Co. The vendor stand took off at the market and Lisa found her business having a tremendous amount of success with visitors. To anyone who is timid about trying Columbian cuisine she is more than happy to educate and encourage the food she has grown to love.
With the success at the 2nd Street Market Lisa and her husband were able to open their second location here in Dayton. Be sure when you visit to look for the Red House, that sits back from the road behind the Sherwood Florist. The restaurant serves as a great environment for a great meal.
Be sure to visit Arepas & Co. on Facebook for more info.
1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
Fresh Cilantro… Fish and Cilantro = awesome!
Fresh and tasty Pollo Guisado and more waiting for you!
2. What ingredient do you dread?
I love to cook and don’t have a definitive dreaded ingredient, but if I had to choose I would say extremely hot spicy peppers. In particular the hot peppers used to prepare her El Scorcho (Pique) homemade sauce. Wow… Hot!
3. What’s your favorite dish to make?
Pollo Guisado! It is a braised chicken thigh slowly cooked with carrots, bell peppers, and green beans. Served with rice and fried plantains. It’s delicious.
4. What’s your favorite pig out food?
I loves Reece’s peanut butter cups. There is just something about that chocolate and peanut butter duo that hits the spot.
5. What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I love going to O’Charley’s with my 3 boys and husband. I also like going to Logan’s Roadhouses and Carvers in Centerville
“Party in your Mouth” Mazorca! Sweet corn, seasoned beans, chips, cheese, homemade sauces! Magic!
6. What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Always have patience. Don’t ever get discouraged from any advice or critiques and always welcome and appreciate feedback.
7. If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
Gordon Ramsay for his brutal honesty
Gabriel Marquez to recite beautiful poetry during the meal
A recent president. Possibly Barack Obama. Just so they can see how hard local businesses work
My husband so he can introduce guests to the Columbian culture and so he can keep our guest entertained. He’s a good talker.
8. Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Julia Child because who doesn’t.
9. What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
I enjoy going hiking in Yellow Springs and watching television with my boys. Overall I just likes to spend some time offline.
10. Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.
Lisa shared stories of times when she cooked in a kitchen without a necessity such as gas, electric or water. She expressed it always makes for an interesting situation.
This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s UD Engineering Project Management class. Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it. This is the third of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project. To read the first two interviews please see below:
