USA: Celebrate Peruvian Gastronomy Day, Why Wait?

Earlier this year, Washinton D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that every first Sunday of June will henceforth be known as the official Peruvian Gastronomy Day. On that day, Peru’s Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Magali Silva declared that this decision reflects the international recognition of Peruvian cuisine.

El Comercio reports that on June 4, the first annual Peruvian Gastronomy Day in history, the University of the District of Columbia will be putting on an event called “Taste of Peru” where 28 stands will offer a variety of Peruvian plates prepared by real Peruvian chefs that have their own restaurants in the United States.

Attendees can expect to find everything from ceviches and regional foods to national drinks and desserts at this smorgasbord.

We at Living in Peru are ecstatic that this event is set to become an annual happening in Washington D.C. and hope to see it spread throughout the states. Why wait?

Apega’s 2nd International Gastronomic Congress gathers the young and ambitious chefs of Peru’s future. Did it fulfill its mission?

Apega is Peru’s leading gastronomic council. They organize various events (such as Mistura) geared towards promoting Peruvian food and conscious eating.

This year, for the 2nd year in a row, they held their International Gastronomic Congress which has gained a little bit more of an entity since last year, yet dropped slightly in quality.

The Congress is geared towards students, mainly students who go to a school with moderate prestige in or around the city of Lima. About 75% of the attendees were students. Although the discussion topics seemed to be interesting, the way some of the speakers gave their presentations didn’t quite get any message across or pertain any useful information.

This isn’t to say there weren’t interesting speakers. Participants in the panel of nutritionists educated the room about how the greatest nutritional problems in the country span from obesity to extreme malnutrition, the necessary amounts of salts and sugars needed in our diets, and a crash course on the colon.

Other speakers included Bernarndo Roca Rey (President of Apega) & Eduardo Ferreyros (Minister of Exterior Commerce & Tourism); of whom the latter stated that the public and private sectors should work together to position our gastronomy (cuisine) in the world.

The most anticipated speaker at the congress was Malena Martinez, the scientific head of the Mater Initiative, which is the body of scientists who work with the world famous restaurant Central and chef Virgilio Martinez (who is also Malena’s brother.)

She gave a great presentation about what they do at Mater presenting their explorations to places within the country to find distinctive consumable flora and either identify or document them to later find a use for them in our food.

For those of us who already knew what Mater was all about, it was a slight disappointment because, I for one, was hoping to hear more about their discoveries. Also, quite a few students who saw me with a press pass asked me if, “Virgilio” was going to make an appearance, which was something that was implied in the promotion of the event.

All in all, Apega’s 2nd International Gastronomic Congress, met its goal. It educated the new generation of cooks in Lima and gave them exposure to different professionals in the field and different social issues, both ecologically and nutritionally, that they would have to answer as cooks. Was the knowledge all that valuable? Or when it was, was it enough? I’m not so sure of that.

Germany enjoyed Peru’s cuisine at a recent diplomatic event.

The Peruvian Embassy in Germany created an event to boost Peruvian food in the hosting country. According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Peruvian Gastronomic Week in Germany started on April 28 and it was held at the Inselhotel in Potsdam, capital of Brandenburg.

Political authorities from both countries were delighted by the Peruvian dishes. During the event, there was also an opportunity to introduce the many tourist attractions in Peru.

Peruvian Ambassador Elmer Schialer stressed the importance of Peruvian gastronomy and its export products including Superfoods.

Previously, Germany has hosted food fairs where Peru participated and presented its Superfood products to the world. The latest fair was held in Nuremberg where a Peruvian Committee displayed Peru’s native products at Biofach.

Peruvian superfood travels to Nuremberg

Events like this, strengthen ties between Peru and Germany. It is worth noting that Germany is involved in a conservation project along with the Peruvian Government.

INDONESIA: Indonesia Slowly Becoming A Gastronomy Destination

While Bali is perhaps best known as a popular beach destination for travellers, the Indonesian government is hoping to turn the area into a foodie destination.

According to local media, the tourism ministry has announced that it hopes to promote the island as a gastronomic destination, highlighting the local cuisine for travellers from around the world. The island is seen as a good area to develop as a culinary destination in Indonesia, as it is already accessible to tourists and has many other attractions.

And the idea would extend beyond just restaurants; it would include markets, food tasting, and visiting producers. The move to promote Bali as a foodie destination in 2017 will be done along with the World Tourism Organization.

As food tourism grows in popularity, more and more places are looking to draw in travellers with the lure of delicious food. In Cyprus, the Virtual Food Museum is organising trips to promote the famous Mediterranean diet.

The trips will take people around the country, familiarising travellers with three important elements of the local cuisine – wine, oil and wheat – and where they come from. The trips will take people deeper into Cypriot culture through the island’s diets.

Tourism groups are also looking to accommodate different diets with the hope of helping attract travellers, such as New Zealand, which has just released a new halal food guide, with the hope of encouraging more Muslim travellers to visit.

The guide helps directs visitors to certified halal businesses, like restaurants, grocery stores and takeaways.

HONGKONG: Shangri-La Launches International Festival of Gastronomy

The inaugural Shangri-La International Festival of Gastronomy will host eight culinary masters from around the globe in five world cities, where they will concurrently conjure up works of gastronomic wonder in eight Shangri-La restaurants for five nights from 27 to 31 October.

Gastronomy is truly an art form, and the acclaimed star chefs – whose restaurants collectively hold 15 Michelin stars – will prepare dinner menus that showcase each of their distinctive food philosophies. The eight chefs headlining The Shangri-La International Festival of Gastronomy 2015 are:

Enrico Bartolini, hailing from the two Michelin-starred Devero Restaurant, will travel from Italy to be at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok’s Angelini Restaurant & Bar.
From Modena, Italy comes Massimo Bottura of three Michelin star Osteria Francescana, which was ranked second in this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. He will be at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore’s BLU.
Mauro Colagreco of two Michelin star Mirazur, which ranked 11th among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants this year, will travel from the Cote D’Azur to be at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong’s Restaurant Petrus.
Ip Chi Cheung of the two Michelin-starred Summer Palace at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong will serve a special menu during the International Festival of Gastronomy.
Mok Kit Keung of two Michelin star Shang Palace at Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong will also serve a special menu during the festival.
Christophe Moret of Michelin star L’Abeille at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris will present his unique menu during the festival.
Giancarlo Perbellini of two Michelin star Casa Perbellini in Italy will be at Jing An Shangri-La, West Shanghai’s Calypso restaurant.
Samuel Lee Sum of the Michelin star Shang Palace in Shangri-La Hotel, Paris will serve a special menu for the festival.

More on the Festival’s chefs

Enrico Bartolini

Presiding over Angelini’s kitchen at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok will be Enrico Bartolini, the youngest chef to attain two Michelin stars in Italy and who currently heads the stylish Devero Restaurant located 20 minutes from Milan in Cavenago Brianza. Keen on preserving traditional skills while discovering inventive ways to intrigue the palate, Bartolini will create a standout menu with artfully presented dishes rich in comforting Italian flavours at Angelini Restaurant & Bar – a restaurant with an intimate lounge bar and views of the famous Chao Phraya River.

Massimo Bottura

Among the stellar group of chefs to appear exclusively for Shangri-La’s gastronomy festival is one of the world’s most creative culinary forces, Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana, the three Michelin star restaurant that is ranked second among the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants”. Inspired by art, music, family and travels, Bottura’s dishes are typically playful with shapes and textures, indicating his inquisitive nature and ability to cause a sensation. His modern Italian cuisine with a twist will inspire guests at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore’s BLU.

Mauro Colagreco of the two Michelin-starred Mirazur in France

Commanding breathtaking views of Hong Kong’s world-famous Victoria Harbour, Restaurant Petrus at Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong will be the stage for Mauro Colagreco of the two Michelin-starred Mirazur in France. His apprenticeships with French greats Bernard Loiseau, Alain Ducasse, Alain Passard and Guy Martin have resulted in honours and admiration for his style of cooking and use of contrasting flavours. The hotel’s award-winning Master Sommelier, Yohann Jousselin, will pair Colagreco’s menu with wines from the restaurant’s acclaimed premium cellar of over 12,000 bottles.

Chef Ip Chi Cheung

For connoisseurs of Cantonese food, Summer Palace at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong is the preferred establishment. Its interior of mythical phoenix and silk wall panels harmonises with the two Michelin-starred restaurant’s rich sense of Chinese culture and exquisite dishes. The setting is also where Ip Chi Cheung, who started his career at the age of 14, showcases the five key Chinese cooking methods — braising, steaming, stewing, stir-frying and deep-frying — and takes opportunities to breathe new life to time-honoured dishes.

Mok Kit Keung

Offering a bold take on Cantonese specialities is Mok Kit Keung at Shang Palace, the two Michelin-starred restaurant at Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong known for its traditional and innovative cuisine. A recipient of notable accolades and a regular guest chef at overseas appearances, Mok regularly updates classics by adding his artistic touch and surprising flavours. Guests will find Mok’s special menu for the festival pairs flawlessly with specialty tea infusions that can be customised by the hotel’s tea sommelier Kenneth Law, one of a few nationally recognised tea masters in Hong Kong.

Christophe Moret

Named after Napoleon Bonaparte’s imperial insignia, L’Abeille (meaning ‘The Bee’) is the signature restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris that has a Michelin star. Christophe Moret — previously head chef at Lasserre, Restaurant Alain Ducasse and Spoon, Food & Wine, Paris — focuses on creating unique experiences through a menu rich with locally sourced produce, served in an enchanting atmosphere overlooking a stunning garden. To further enhance the experience at L’Abeille is a 42-page wine selection managed by Chief Sommelier Cédric Maupoint.

Giancarlo Perbellini

Anticipated to take Shanghai’s culinary scene by storm is “artisan cook” Giancarlo Perbellini, a maestro whose dishes artfully combine innovation and tradition at his two Michelin-starred Casa Perbellini restaurant. Recognised as one of Italy’s best confectioners, Giancarlo applies the same precise techniques to his food, which has catapulted him to the top of the Italian culinary leader board. He will take the stage at the Shigeru Ban-designed Calypso restaurant at Jing An Shangri-La, West Shanghai.

Samuel Lee Sum

Chef Samuel Lee Sum is the newest addition to Shangri-La’s Paris property and directs the kitchen at Shang Palace, the only Chinese restaurant awarded a Michelin star in France. Devotees of the restaurant will be treated to shared plates of Cantonese and Huaiyang food that are Samuel’s expression of subtlety and colour combination, and his way of provoking the norm. Inspired by his mother’s family to cook from a young age, Samuel’s dishes are best accompanied by the restaurant’s rare Chinese teas.