Meet the Venezuelan chef who turns pasta into colourful works of art

By Kathryn Chung

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As a self-described 'pasta designer', Venezuelan chef David Max Rivillo Perez has found a niche for his colourful creations that bring together pasta-making and artistry.

His eye-catching pastas have made him an online sensation, with over 60,000 followers on his Instagram account. With a PhD in chemistry, he worked as a researcher in the Netherlands, Germany and Brazil, before embarking on his culinary studies in 2016.

Inspired by this month’s theme of colour in our vibrant MiNDFOOD September issue, we sit down with Perez to learn more about his colourful craft.

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When did you start making the colourful pasta designs?

Everything started by chance in 2019 when I made my first design to pay tribute to Venezuelan kinetic artist Carlos Cruz-Diez. He is my favourite artist ever, who recently passed away. I reproduced his artwork “Cromointerferencia de color aditivo”, created as part of the Simón Bolívar International Airport architecture. Its one of the most representative piece of artwork for all Venezuelans. Since then, my mind has never stopped thinking about it and how to get different designs and patterns.

What inspires you?

My inspiration comes from everywhere: nature, art, fashion, architecture, textiles, calligraphy, and everyday situation. I am constantly thinking about what designs would look good on pasta. My Instagram followers sometimes share design ideas or help me to name some of my designs. That is exciting to me.

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What is the most challenging part of making the pasta designs?

One of the most difficult parts is predicting how the design will look at the end of the process when the pasta sheet rolls out, especially when it is a new design.  Sometimes it turns out something a bit different from what I had in mind. But at the end of the day, it’s a matter of practicing.

What do you love about making these unique pastas?

I love to see the patterns previously created in my mind become real pasta. Sometimes the result is much better than planned.

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