Miller Prada, Colombia

Born in Bogotá, it was on his great-aunt’s farm, where countless relatives descended, that Humo’s Miller Prada found a passion for food that would take him around the world and, ultimately, back to Colombia

Words by Alex Mead

This Article was taken from the October 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.

The Caribbean-coast-hugging city of Santa Marta is a common jumping-off point. From here, you embark on a trek that takes you through farmlands into dense tropical forest, crossing rivers, past vines (occasionally with snakes hanging on them), sleeping on hammocks among the trees and cooling off under waterfalls so stunning even AI would struggle to mimic them.

Then there’s the small matter of vertiginous ancient trails stretching 1,200 steps upwards before you reach your destination, Ciudad Perdida, perched high in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, home only to local shamans. The Lost City dates back 1,200 years, but was abandoned some 400 years ago when colonial powers took control. ‘It’s Colombia’s Machu Picchu, only it’s surrounded by trees,’ explains Bogotá-born Miller Prada, executive chef of Humo in London’s Mayfair, adding how only a small chunk of it is uncovered, the rest remaining hidden in thick jungle.

Miller is reeling off favourite places in his South American homeland, but every example is worthy of a word-count far beyond those required for this interview. ‘My favourite area is the Caribbean coast and the Coffee Triangle in the mountains; it’s very different, and it’s where the kindest nicest, happiest people in the world are from,’ he says. ‘It’s an amazing place, with these insane palm trees 40m high, and within the region you get to see all the old architecture, classic colonial, with lots of colours; and the weather is always much nicer here too.’

As for his own city, Colombia’s capital, his strongest memories are, unsurprisingly, around food. ‘I grew up in the southern part of Bogotá,’ says Miller. ‘There were always trips to the parks and lots of eating food with the family. It’s a big family too – my great-grandmother had about 14 kids and each of them had six or seven kids. Everything was centred on my grandmother growing up and we’d be constantly travelling to the family’s farms.

‘It’s a very old-school mentality there,’ he continues, ‘always lots of Colombian ladies cooking. They’re amazing, though, and, because my family are farmers, food has been at the centre of everything. Christmas is particularly special. I’ve got vivid memories of hundreds of cars arriving at my great-aunt’s farm, where she kept chickens, pigs, cows and would make everything – even her own cheese. She would have a whole veal roasting, a couple of lambs going too, hundreds of eggs, huge pots of rice and plenty of alcohol.’

Not that he suggests people hang around Bogotá too long. ‘I tell people to spend a couple of nights there as there’s so much going on, but then to get out into the country. I love the mountains – wherever you are in Bogotá, you always see the Andes; they’re something amazing.

‘Within a couple of hours of leaving Bogotá, the scenery changes quickly,’ explains the chef. ‘You feel like you’re somewhere completely different. In the grasslands, it’s like a scene from a cowboy movie, and then you go into the mountains – where my family farms – and it’s the purest scenery.’

That diversity is undoubtedly Colombia’s biggest draw. Known as a ‘megadiverse’ country, it has 10 per cent of the world’s biodiversity – according to WWF, it has 56,342 species. Hardly surprising given it boasts Caribbean and Pacific coasts, grasslands, wetlands, sub- tropical forests, active volcanoes and hot springs, Amazonian jungle and the Andes. And that’s before you get to the architecture – one impact of the arrival of the Spanish in 1499.

‘Cartagena is famous around the world for its architecture; then you’ve got Rosario, an archipelago of small islands where you can relax in the Caribbean,’ says Miller. ‘The cities are the most fun, though. I love Medellín, it’s called the “city of eternal spring” because it’s always 27C – it never changes – and there’s so much happening from great restaurants to parties. It used to be this dangerous city where you’d never go because of the guerillas, but now the city and the towns around it are totally different and they have some of the best places to go.’

And the best food? ‘In Bogotá you’ve got lots of soups – ajiaco – where you just put everything in a pot and boil it (you use a herb called guascas, potatoes, corn, chicken). I love it. Virtually every city has its own soup, it’s a Spanish tradition, and there’s lots of deep-fried meat too.

‘But I think the food on the Caribbean coast is the best,’ he concludes. ‘There’s a lot of African influence, so it’s super tasty and strong in flavour.’

Miller has been away from home for a long time. ‘I moved to Sydney when I was 16 and went into a French restaurant to try to get a job – wearing a suit – and I saw how intense, how serious, how obsessed they were, and I just thought, “Wow, this is so cool,” and since then I’ve been cooking and cooking,’ he explains.
The inspiration to travel – and cook – came from his mum. ‘She went to Hong Kong for work and would send back these parcels full of Chinese sweets, and it made me want to travel,’ he says.

He took in Hong Kong, Miami, Dubai and Lima before landing in London, where he set to work under assorted chefs and then found the mentorship of Endo Kazutoshi, at both Sumi and Endo at the

‘Over the past ten years I’ve become super proud of my own heritage, so I’ve gone back to discover ingredients for myself’

Rotunda. That same group then supported Miller’s own restaurant, the fire-cooking nirvana of Humo. But perhaps best of all is his own little slice of Colombia: the ten-seater chef’s table downstairs, Abajo.

‘When I was growing up, there wasn’t much exploration of ingredients, but over the past ten years, I’ve become super proud of my own heritage, so I’ve gone back to discover them myself,’ says Miller. ‘I love the fruits, like the zapote – when you’re peeling it, it’s like nothing like else. There’s the curuba, which is like a type of passion fruit but with totally different notes, more like banana.’

Bringing in chef Moris Moreno, from Leo, a famed restaurant in Bogotá, the five-course menu at Abajo shifts with the season. Always the best of British, but also using ingredients from Colombia, including coffee from the family farm. ‘I knew getting coffee from the farm wasn’t going to be easy, but bringing other ingredients turned out to be hard too – for instance, when you come back with a 20kg bag of white powder – flour – it doesn’t make Customs too happy! ‘The Abajo menu is fully inspired by Colombia,’ he continues. ‘One of the desserts is all about tomato, because back at home it’s seen as fruit. When I started to serve it, people thought I’d lost the plot, but it’s doing very well now. People are eating it, and saying, “This actually works.” I love the surprise.’

Colombian food, much as Peruvian and Ecuadorian before it, is certainly on the rise here, and that’s undoubtedly on the back of the country’s re-emergence. ‘If you’d asked me ten or 15 years ago about where to go in Colombia, I’d have said, “Be careful, don’t do this, don’t do that,”’ he says. ‘But now, after the peace process, I just say to everyone, “Go everywhere, go explore, do everything.” All the people I’ve sent have had amazing times and not wanted to leave. Go, and you will see amazing stuff.’

MILLER’S HOTSPOTS

THE CLICK CLACK HOTEL, MEDELLÍN
A great stay, great location – everything you could want from a city hotel. Perfect base for having a great time in the city. clickclackhotel.com

CELELE, CARTAGENA
Modern Caribbean food:
a ten-course tasting menu covers everything that’s good about the Colombian Caribbean coast. celelerestaurante.com

ALQUÍMICO, CARTAGENA
Alquimico is the best bar in Colombia and I have always had great nights there. The rooftop is amazing and they showcase local ingredients. alquimico.com

LA COCINA DE PEPINA, CARTAGENA
The place for traditional food – María Josefina Yances uses recipes and techniques that go back 100 years. It’s a must when you’re in Cartagena. linktr.ee/lacocinadepepina

CAROLINA ISLAND, ROSARIO
This is the best place to stay in the Islas del Rosario, right in the heart of a national park. You’ll be on the water’s edge, lost amid nature. coralinaisland.com

SAMBOMBI, MEDELLÍN
A humble-looking place, out of the main streets in the Provenza neighbourhood, but the food is just insane; really tasty. sambombi.com

EL SILO, ARMENIA
A restaurant to visit while in Quindio, the coffee region. The chef has his own farm that provides the produce he serves up. 00 57 321 674 6199