Peru has earned high praise for its world-class cuisine. The evolution of its flavors can be experienced in a select way in luxury hotels, which boast some of the finest kitchens in the country.

Quality and Culture

Peruvian cuisine has rightly become an international star. Fueled by multiculturalism and biodiversity, the creative potential of Peruvian cuisine continues to grow, with restaurants winning awards on global lists and recognition from organizations such as the United Nations, which included Peruvian ceviche on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage traditions of UNESCO. In this context, luxury hotels in Peru have joined the effort to take Peruvian cuisine to new heights.

Miguel Cabrera Eugenio, Executive Chef and current head of the gastronomic operations of the Paracas hotel, has experienced this firsthand. The Peruvian chef has been part of Intursa since 2018, and since then he has accompanied the evolution of the gastronomic offering of Paracas, which has incorporated an increasingly focused approach to local identity, sustainability, and international quality standards. In his opinion, Peruvian luxury hotels have been able to capitalize on the gastronomic boom by taking it to a whole new level of experience. “It’s not just about serving Peruvian cuisine, but about contextualizing it within a service, a narrative, and a setting that is in line with a global guest,” explains chef Cabrera. Today, the hotel sector knows exactly that gastronomy is not just a complement, but one of the main reasons for choosing a destination and accommodation.

“We have provided a stable and high-impact platform. Luxury hotels receive thousands of international travelers every year, and many of them discover Peruvian cuisine for the first time in our restaurants,” continued the chef at the Paracas hotel. “In addition, by working with local producers—as in our case, with artisanal fishermen in the area—we achieve not only quality and freshness, but also an authentic story that connects the diner with the local community and with a responsible way of doing gastronomy.”

An Epicurean Perspective

Epicureanism refers to knowing the arts, refinements, and pleasures of life. In that sense, it appeals to the delight of high-end food and beverages. The Luxury Collection hotels in Peru invite you to embark on a culinary journey, curated by notable chefs and mixologists, in one of the most coveted gastronomic destinations in the world.

The philosophy of Carlos Risco, Executive Chef at Palacio del Inka, is to highlight the richness and diversity of ingredients from different regions of Peru and offer an authentic experience, in which each dish tells a story and connects the diner with the local gastronomic culture, without losing elegance or flavor. For example, “the focus of the Inti Raymi restaurant at Palacio del Inka is to showcase Peruvian cuisine through respect for tradition and contemporary techniques,” said chef Risco. “Our menu is based on recognizable recipes and flavors that are prepared with the criteria and standards of haute cuisine, always taking care to preserve the identity of the product.”

Mixology plays a fundamental role in this approach. “It’s not just an accompaniment,” continued the chef at Palacio del Inka. “We create drinks that dialogue with the menu and enrich the diner’s experience.” Liner Vega, Executive Chef at Tambo del Inka, agrees and cites the mixology at the hotel in the Sacred Valley as an example: “Our bartenders use local ingredients from the valley, Andean herbs, Amazonian fruits, and spices to create unique cocktails that reflect the diversity of the country.”

For chef Vega, the next steps for luxury hotel dining in Peru have to do with immersive experiences—“Creating experiences that integrate culture and art, taking advantage of multisensory elements and the narrative of gastronomy and mixology to create memorable experiences,” he mentioned—; sustainability and traceability, to continue reducing environmental and social impact by working with local ingredients, respecting the seasons of each product, and guaranteeing product quality from source to table; and fusion with a strong identity. In other words, “being different from the others, without losing our Peruvian essence,” he said.

As the chef at Tambo del Inka concludes: “We chefs are very fortunate, because we are able to showcase Peruvian biodiversity in every dish.” The great satisfaction of kitchens in luxury hotels, such as those that are part of The Luxury Collection, is to take Peruvian cuisine to a contemporary level that surprises and excites their guests.