María Jesús Pérez maintains traditional cooking in Sevilla

María Jesús Pérez, known as La Chari, runs a traditional tavern in the Alfalfa neighborhood of Sevilla.

At 74 years old, she has operated the establishment for four decades, serving local residents and tourists traditional Andalusian stews and dishes. Pérez learned to cook by asking women at the Encarnación market how to prepare specific dishes like chickpeas and spinach. She began working in the hospitality industry in 1978 and eventually purchased a small tavern in 1985 for 1.5 million pesetas.

She expanded the license to allow for cooking and renamed the venue El Kiko de la Chari to reflect her ownership. The tavern offers a menu of traditional items such as chickpeas with spinach and eggs with bechamel. Customers can order small tapas for 3.50 euros or a daily menu for 10 euros, which includes two dishes and a drink. Pérez maintains strict operating hours and insists on cash payments only.

While her children help and she employs long-term staff members like Olga and Daniela, Pérez remains the primary figure behind the kitchen. She received the Medalla de la Ciudad de Sevilla in 2023. She acknowledges that the current conditions of the business may be difficult to replicate once she stops leading the kitchen.