Owner and head chef, Maurizio Trotta grew up in a food-loving family. Although he was born and raised in Venezuela, Trotta's family is Italian and their love for good food was a highlight of his childhood.
"My grandmother literally lived in the kitchen. She used to make everything from scratch."
When Trotta decided to move to New Zealand 15 years ago, he quickly missed the flavours from home. To combat his feeling of homesickness, he began making and selling arepas, a handmade corn meal flat bun popular in Venezuela and Colombia, at weekend markets. Trotta's arepas were a huge success, garnering positive responses, which allowed him to eventually open up his own brick-and-mortar store, Olas Arepas, in Ponsonby four years ago.
At Olas Arepas, they specialise in making gluten-free cornmeal arepas that are filled with healthy and vibrant Latin American flavours. Trotta uses authentic imported ingredients to keep his menu's flavours fresh and exciting.
His latest innovation is the Mulata Arepa, which is jam-packed with pork belly, cheddar cheese, greens, sweet plantains, and cherry tomato salsa fillings.
"It has been a big hit," noted Trotta.
During his journey in hospitality, a particularly proud moment for Trotta was when he won the Best Latin American Restaurant award at the NZ Latin Awards.
To any other keen young chefs, Trotta had a few words to offer.
“Get ready to work hard. It is extremely tough having to balance life and cooking, but the rewards are certainly worth it.”
However, over the last few years, he has successfully managed to juggle insane hours operating his restaurant with starting a family. Although keeping a good work-life balance has had its difficulties, Trotta shared that seeing customers enjoy his food with their friends and family is hugely rewarding and always keeps him motivated.
Looking forward, he hopes to continue to provide vibrant and authentic Latin American flavours to Kiwis.
