Our Story

My name is John and this is my story. I was born in Venezuela, and my life has been surrounded by food and music. After five years living in this paradise called Grand Cayman, I decided to take the adventure of creating Arepa 345 with my wife, motivated by the excitement and pleasure that our friends experienced when I cooked arepas in casual gatherings at home. Every single person who has tried my arepas not only love them, but have asked for more!

Arepas are not only tasty and filling but also healthy! There is no secret or hidden information; an arepa is made with corn flour, a bit of salt, and water; nothing more. Nevertheless, what makes an arepa truly special is the endless options of fillings from which I have selected a good variety to start with.

Arepa 345 will of course showcase the most popular arepas from Venezuela, including Reina Pepiada (chicken, avocado, and greens), Pelúa (pulled beef and cheese), Dominó (black beans and cheese), and Perico (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onion), just to name a few. In addition to the classics, we also plan to combine the diverse culinary flavors that Cayman is home to, offering monthly specials that will appeal to our multicultural community.

For Venezuelans, arepas are not considered street food but the main reference for homemade food. Since we are kids, we are sent to school with an arepa in our bags to eat in our morning breaks, and it is also a typical meal for dinners at home after a long day. An arepa represents HOME for Venezuelans, and this is what we want to share with Grand Cayman. We are taking a traditional Venezuelan homemade staple, the humble arepa, and turning it into street food.

Music is one of my passions that is on par with the kitchen. Since I was a child, the kitchen was part of my growth, but the music was always his faithful companion. For me, playing musical instruments is not so different from the art of cooking; in both, I had to be disciplined and consistent. I had to fall in love with both to get to know them and make them known to all who enjoy them. While I am preparing an arepa, my mind and my hands are synchronized with the melody that comes out of the speaker (which is always present while I cook).

Currently, I belong to a group where we sing and play something we call "Medicine Music." I live an active spiritual life, and I also transfer this to the kitchen, with awareness of food and and appreciation for the entire process that brought it to my hands to prepare. I bless the food while I am cooking it and thank them at all times; I take into account the responsibility that you have as a cook when preparing a dish. If it is very true what they say, "You are what you eat", then whoever eats my Arepas will also eat a mixture of universal love, passion, respect, honor, flavor, and melody.

"When my mother gave us bread, she shared love." (Joël Robuchon)

There is so much affection hidden in the act of feeding!