The flames of Candela ushered in a new purpose for three siblings intent on disseminating their homeland's culinary treasures.
Instead of crushing the trio's spirit, a fire — candela in Spanish — that destroyed their brand-new restaurant in April 2004 gave the siblings impetus to forge ahead and rebuild a few months later.
"It was something very sad, but we were determined to go on, " said Nancy Carnero. She and her brother, Jorge, and their sister, Rosa Scheopflin, own Candela Restaurant in a strip mall on North Oracle Road near Rudasill Road.
The restaurant name evokes not the destructive fire that reduced to ashes their business, Scheopflin said, but rather, "a new era for Latin American food that keeps spreading like a flame."
Since the restaurant reopened, its Peruvian cuisine has drawn rave reviews from customers in and outside the Tucson area.
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In the spring edition of Tucson Guide, chef Jeff Azersky of Bluefin Seafood Bistro praised Candela's food. "They serve great ceviche," he is quoted as saying.
Ceviche, which is fish cooked in lemon juice and served in small pieces with onions and peppers, and other appetizers are the brother's specialty. Carnero takes care of the entrees, and Scheopflin is in charge of desserts.
"Everyone cooks," said Carnero, relaxing at a table during a recent break between lunch and dinner. She is the one with years of administrative experience at other restaurants, but Candela clearly is a family affair.
The siblings even named one of their special seafood dishes after their mother, Deida de Carnero, who taught them how to cook while they were growing up in Peru.
"Our mother always was the best cook in her family," said Carnero, adding that she built on what she learned from her mother with professional cooking lessons over the years.
A younger family member also plays a key role at Candela. The children's menu is named after Scheopflin's 9-year-old grandchild, Connor Clark, who makes sure young customers also can satisfy their appetite.
"He loves the restaurant's ambience," said his grandmother, who said most of the food and spices served at Candela are imported from Peru.
"Peruvian food is a fusion of flavors" from many cultures, Scheopflin said, adding that Peru is known throughout South America for its varied cuisine. At Candela, some traditional Peruvian dishes include aji de gallina, spicy chicken stew; lomo saltado, stir-fry beef; and chupe, fish stew. Many of the meals include such staples as potatoes, rice or aji, a Peruvian hot pepper.
Unlike some restaurants, Candela's owners say they don't mind sharing some of their recipes with interested customers.
"The more people that know about food from Peru and South America, the better," Carnero said.
Plans are in the works to hold cooking classes at Candela, she added. The siblings also host private parties at the restaurant, which includes a bar.
The sisters began sharing their culinary secrets in 2001, when they started a catering business on the side. Their brother, who was an engineer in Peru, joined the partnership when they opened the restaurant three years later.
The family, including their mother, left Peru for Tucson when the country was politically unstable, Carnero said. Scheopflin arrived here in 1984 with her former husband, an Ohio native. The rest of the family came later, Carnero said.
"We wanted to have our own business since we came to this country," she added.
The siblings' restaurant is a reflection of who they are, Scheopflin said, gesturing toward the red walls showcasing Peruvian art. "Red is strong, it signifies life — it fits our personalities."
If you go
● Candela Restaurant, at 5845 N. Oracle Road, is open 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday. It is open from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The phone number is 407-0111.
