Tony Custer

A fond father of 5 and grandfather of 8, Custer has also written 4 original children’s books. The Osezno Febezno series follows the adventures of a « brave and well-mannered little bear cub » who shares important values through his experiences. As with the cookbook, all of the proceeds of the children’s books also go to Fundación Custer.

Following one of his lifelong passions for industrial and naval design, he founded « Custer Yachts » shipyard in Peru in 2014. The models of the boats are his own, and are based on classic picnic boats with 1950s lines.

In 2000, Tony Custer published The Art of Peruvian Cuisine, Peru's first world-class cookbook that has since sold over 100,000 copies, making it one of Peru’s bestselling cookbooks of all time. Influential in both its design and content, the book has helped place Peruvian cuisine in the limelight of world’s media. In addition, 100% of the book's proceeds help fund the Aprendamos Juntos educational program.

Finally, Custer is a songwriter and musician. He released a self-titled album in 2000, and plays in a rock’n’roll band that performs charity shows for the foundation.

Custer founded The Fundación Custer in 1996. To date, over 18,000 first and second grade students have attended the Aprendamos Juntos program, which equips at-risk children with basic learning skills, helping them progress through their schooling where they otherwise often repeat years and/or drop out. Aprendamos Juntos has also developed programs for parents and teachers. Through this program, over 3,000 parents have learned how to help their children overcome the challenges they face, and over 200 teachers have acquired these skills. Finally, Aprendamos Juntos has developed a special pre-school program for those schools that have kindergarten.

The Custer Group of companies is in its 93rd year in Peru, having expanded to five countries: Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica.

Custer then received a bachelor's degree (cum laude) in economics from Harvard College (1976) and an MBA from Harvard Business School (1979).

Felipe Antonio "Tony" Custer Hallett (born May 27, 1954, Lima, Peru) is a leading Peruvian businessman and philanthropist. He is the son and grandson, respectively, of Jacques R. Custer and Richard O. Custer, noted Swiss-Peruvian entrepreneurs. He was educated in Peru, the US and Europe, and currently heads the Corporación Custer as chairman and CEO, as well as The Fundación Custer, and is author of the best-seller The Art of Peruvian Cuisine, volumes I and II.