Our History
Learn about El Chalan
El Chalan Restaurant was founded in 1985 by Mario Abanto. After arriving in Miami from Peru in the early 1970’s, Mario came to the United States like many before him seeking the famous American Dream. Mario ultimately accomplished his dream and along the way helped many others in Peru and the United States accomplish their dreams too. El Chalan Restaurant is proud to tell you about our founder Mario Abanto. Mario Abanto was born in Paucamarca, a small town in the beautiful Cajamarca mountain range in Peru. Since he was a child he stood out for his love of school and although he left his town at a very young age to Lima (the capital of Peru), Mario continued higher education managing to graduate as an economist, and later emigrated to Miami. In Miami Mario worked many jobs including as a bartender, convenience store clerk, and restaurant supply delivery driver. On weekends he would strap a lawnmower into the trunk of his Chevy Nova and along with his two young sons would head to the estates of Coral Gables to cut as many lawns as he could.
He did all this while managing to attend Florida International University and graduate with a Business degree. In 1985, the chance to launch a restaurant presented itself. Mario jumped at the opportunity. Together with the help of family and friends, El Chalan Restaurant was born. Over time El Chalan was blessed to receive interest from incredible chefs in Peru that offered to come to Miami to work with Mario. They came with experience from some of the most famous restaurants in Peru. Peruvian food was not well known in Miami in 1985 and Mario wanted to make sure that it was done correctly. Our incredible chefs have been an important part of our journey since 1985 and we owe a great thanks to them and all of our incredible kitchen and wait staff. We pride ourselves in providing excellent and authentic Peruvian food with large portions at reasonable prices. We strive to obtain only the best ingredients and provide excellent service. This was Mario’s vision. Mario never forgot his native land, to which he continually returned. He returned not only to visit his beloved family but also to help the people of Peru when he could.
One of his first acts of philanthropy was to work with many officials in the US and Peru to obtain an ambulance to transport seriously ill patients and prevent the unnecessary deaths of fellow countrymen due to lack of transportation and quick medical attention. Mario was also able to lead the effort to build a new church for the small town which he was born in. Today, the two towers of the San José Church point towards the beautiful blue sky of Paucamarca and are the response to the effort, participation and community work of a town that, under the leadership of Mario, managed to make what many believed impossible a reality. Seeking to reward personal effort, community participation and sport as a powerful means of unity, he established the Annual Marathon between the towns of San Marcos and Paucamarca.
This annual race changed its name to the Mario Abanto Marathon in 2013 which has become a true regional festival since 2009. Mario Abanto passed away in 2010 but El Chalan Restaurant continues with the Abanto family. It’s success is largely attributed to the incredible team that works tirelessly in the kitchen, dining room, office, and product buyer. There are many in the leadership team and dining room that have been with El Chalan for more than 25 years. We thank our incredible employees for keeping Mario’s dream alive. Ultimately we exist because of you, our loyal customers. Thank you for continuing to dine with us since 1985. We are grateful you have stuck with us for four decades.