Woolworths Taste – August 2019

worshipping at the temple of elBulli,

millennials are likely to mention a stage

as a chef at René Redzepi’s Noma or

Virgilio’s Central. On Instagram, you’ll

find chefs such as 27-year-old André

Patsías posting about visits to outlying

Peruvian regions, collaborations with

universities and producers, and successful

missions with co-operatives growing

rare and interesting species.

André’s 26-seater restaurant is named

Statera, which means equilibrium, and is

currently focused on “extreme altitudes”.

This involves combining produce from

altitudes in daring combinations, for

example – potatoes and tubers from

high-altitude Jauja, the “green basket”

of Peru, with low-altitude black

molluscs and scallops from the northern

mangroves in Tumbes.

I’ve spent a week discovering Lima’s

newest restaurants and revisiting old

112 TASTE AUGUST 2019

TRAVEL

Clockwise from above: A course at Mil that represents the meal eaten by farmers – potato, corn and cheese; a sea and river catch dish at Statera in Lima;

spirits from the Andes region of Peru.

favourites. Waiting in the cab are all my

bags – kindly packed by the guesthouse

so that I won’t lose a moment, or a

course, at Statera. As Javier brushes off

my thank-you-thank-you-so-much and

we wave, I reflect on the generosity Peru

has shown me over the years – from cab

drivers who indulge me with their “top

secret” streetfood tips, to the guides who

keep in touch years after our tours.

These days in Lima, you can easily

find a cup of single-origin coffee and

artists like Lenny Kravitz hanging out

with the locals at Isolina or Panchita.

The profile of the cuisine is changing

in increments too, as more people from

abroad move to the city – immigrants

and refugees – and through it all,

Peru’s bold and hard-earned culinary

pride continues to shine. W

@IshayGovender; ishaygovender.com

LIMANEEDTOKNOW

COOKINGCLASSES&TOURSBook

a relaxedtourthatincludesa

piscoandceviche-makingclassat

limagourmetcompany.com, orafunfood

tourbyaLonelyPlanettwriter with

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atlimatastytours.com.

VISAS:SouthAfricansdon’tneed

a visatotraveltoPerubutifyou

stopinSãoPaulo (andstay)youwill

needa validyellowfevercertificate.

Planyourtravelatvisitperu.com.

SHOPPINGBringbackquinoa,pinksalt

fromMaras,100%cacaobarstomake

hotchocolate,chillisauce,andforfun,

a bottleofatomic-yellowIncaKola.