Neyda Rivera Barazosdo

Neyda Rivera Barazosdo has worked as the dinner cook for VISIONS Peru since 2008, and she and her son, Kenny, are a special part of our program each year. Neyda whips up a variety of local dishes for VISIONS participants each evening, and always joins us as mealtimes. She also comes along for our visit to Machu Picchu and some other excursions, and Kenny participates in many of our activities as well.

Neyda was born in the small community of Vilcabamba, just east of the Cordillera Huayhuash mountain range in Central Peru, and has lived in the rugged Andean nation her entire life. Today, she lives further south, in the Sacred Valley of Ccotohuincho, Urubamba, and has no plans to leave. She says she loves Peru for its rich archeological heritage, not to mention the plethora of fresh, organic produce that’s easily found in the local markets. The latter is probably to be expected, since Neyda is a passionate chef. She particularly enjoys cooking the traditional lomo saltado (a traditional Peruvian stir fry dish that pairs beef sirloin with grilled veggies, fries and rice), but says, “I love cooking whatever the VISIONS kids want to have for dinner!”