Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Peru's Cuisine
Peru has long been a place where the concept of 'fusion' was a part of everyday cooking.
Over the course of the last 400 years, Andean stews mingled with Asian stir-fry techniques,
and Spanish rice dishes absorbed flavors from the Amazon, producing the country's famed
criollo
(creole) cooking. In the past decade, a generation of experimental young innovators
has pushed this local fare to gastronomic heights.
Peru, once a country where important guests were treated to French meals and Scotch
whisky, is now a place where high-end restaurants spotlight deft interpretations of Andean
favorites, including quinoa and
cuy
(guinea pig). The dining scene has blossomed. And
tourism outfits have swept in to incorporate a culinary something as part of every tour. In
2000, the country became the site of the first Cordon Bleu academy in Latin America, and
in 2009,
Bon Appétit
magazine named Lima the 'next great food city.'
The foodie fever has infected Peruvians at every level, with
even the most humble
chicharrón
(fried pork) vendor hyper-at-
tentive to the vagaries of preparation and presentation. No small
part of this is due to mediagenic celebrity chef Gastón Acurio,
whose culinary skill and business acumen (he owns more than
30 restaurants around the globe) have given him rock-star
status.
The short of it is that you will never go hungry in Peru: from
humble spots in Moyobamba to trendy boîtes in Miraflores, this
is a country devoted to keeping the human palate entertained.
Most Influen-
tial Chefs
» Gastón Acurio, Astrid y
Gastón
» Pedro Miguel Schiaffino,
Malabar
» Rafael Osterling, Rafael
» Rafael Piqueras, Fusión
» Virgilio Martínez, Central
Restaurante
NOVOANDINA & THE PERUVIAN NEW WAVE
The current Peruvian gastronomic renaissance has its roots in the 1980s. The country was in turmoil. The economy
was in a free-fall. And newspaper publisher Bernardo Roca Rey was experimenting with Andean ingredients in his
kitchen - roasting
cuy,
utilizing rare strains of potatoes and producing risottos made with quinoa (a dish now known
as
quinotto
). At the same time, Cucho La Rosa, the chef at El Comensal (since closed), was upgrading Peruvian re-
cipes by improving cooking techniques: gentle steaming instead of boiling; searing instead of frying. These early
