The Latin Kitchen

Mexican-born chef Luis Valenzuela loves the diversity of his home country's cuisine, but his favourite dishes are the simple recipes that make you the star of the kitchen. For his first dish, he prepares a refreshing shrimp ceviche, a dish known to all Latin cuisines. Luis gives this delicate dish a Mexican twist with a splash of tequila, lime for freshness, and tops it all off with creamy avocado. Our host then prepares some vibrant avocado and tomato salsa for a crispy chorizo tostada. Luis shows us how to transform the tostada by crisping up a tortilla in a hot-oiled pan. Quick, simple and absolutely delicious. Next, it's time for a classic Mexican dish: carnitas. Luis cooks up a pork cutlet low and slow, just like they do in street stalls all over Mexico, flavouring the meat with a garlic and orange marinade. When the meat is ready, he crisps it up to balance out the accompanying creamy avocado salsa. The mouth-watering result is more than worth the wait.

Mexicans love their street food and Chef Luis Valenzuela is sharing the secrets to four irresistible street food recipes from his home country. To begin, Luis introduces us to a creamy, yet spicy corn salad, mixing the flavours of fresh herbs with chilies to make a mouth-watering dish. Top it with cotija cheese and aioli for an irresistible corn salad. Next up, Luis shares his take on everyone's favourite Mexican dish: tacos. Smoky, juicy, shredded chicken with the distinct flavours of chipotle pepper and tomatoes create the base of the tacos.

Mexican-born Chef Luis Valenzuela is ready to share the secrets of his home country's cuisine, one dish at a time. First, Luis whips up a classic side dish that is served with every Mexican meal: beans. He starts off by transforming pinto beans into refried goodness. But you can't just have beans for breakfast. To complete the dish, Luis heats up a soft corn tortilla before topping it with the delicious refried beans and a delicate quail egg. Next up, Luis shows us a spicy breakfast dish: huevos rancheros.

Basque country, the region along the northeastern Atlantic coast of Spain, is known for its rustic scenery and delicious food. Chef Luis "Tigretón" Leon explores this region of Spanish cuisine. First, Tigretón introduces us to traditional savoury appetizers that can be whipped up faster than you can eat them. Using skewers and very little time, he stacks olives, picked peppers and anchovies for a salty appetizer. Next, he prepares a open-faced Basque breakfast sandwich, placing chopped chorizo on top of a warm baguette and fried egg.

From raw to pickled, Spain LOVES garlic in all its gorgeous forms, Spanish-born Chef Tigretón pays homage to garlic with four tasty recipes. Garlic might be a simple ingredient, but Chef Tigreton shows us that when used properly, it's perfect for adding another dimension to a meal. First, Tigretón takes toasted garlic and transforms it into a warm and creamy soup, making it the ultimate comfort food. For his next recipe, he doubles up the garlic goodness with a charred, crispy garlic chicken accompanied by a rich aioli sauce that would please anyone's taste buds.

Impress your dinner guests with Juan Pablo Gonzalez's four-course Venezuelan menu. First, he introduces us to tequenos, a deep-fried cheese pastry that will make you re-think the ordinary mozzarella stick. Next, Juan Pablo channels his inner musician, creating a melody of seafood and turning it into a delectable soup. For the main course, Juan Pablo gives a classic roast beef dish the Venezuelan treatment with their preferred cooking technique - grilling.

Plantain is one of the most popular ingredients in Venezuelan cuisine and passionate cook Juan Pablo Gonzalez shows us how it can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. While it may look like a banana, the plantain has a completely different but delicious flavour, especially when fried up and transformed into savoury French fry-like tostanes. Next up, Juan Pablo shows us how to make plantain lasagna - yes, lasagna. He layers savoury fried plantain strips with a mouthwatering halibut and veggie stew, topped with delicious cotija cheese. Then our host shows us how to make a pescado frito con patacones, a simple but incredible feast, featuring red snapper with tostanes. Finally, Juan Pablo introduces us to the plantain's sweet side with a dessert that won't last long on your plate: a decadent pudding pie with a sticky syrup base.

Venezuelan host Juan Pablo Gonzalez inspires us with corn recipes from his home country. Corn plays an important role in Venezuelan cuisine and is used in all sorts of dishes. To start, Juan Pablo prepares cachapas, a fried corn pancake that brings back memories of his childhood walks to school. Topped with pork and cheese, this crispy pancake can be enjoyed either savoury or sweet. Next up, Juan Pablo shares another Venezuelan culinary tradition: grilling. Using a hot grill, he cooks up a tender, juicy steak and an irresistible charred corn salad. He then shows us an easy beef stew, perfect for those days when you want to enjoy a delicious meal without spending the day in the kitchen. His secret? Keep the corn on the cob and the meat on the bone while they simmer. To finish things off, Juan Pablo whips up a corn-based dessert, adding another traditional Venezuelan ingredient, coconut, to make a divine pudding treat.