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Peru on Top
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Like Indian-Chinese? Now try Peruvian-Chinese. As
Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar opens Mumbai’s first lounge bar serving
Peruvian cuisine, Pooja Bhula tells you fascinating facets of the cuisine and
why it’s all the rage worldwide
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‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’ and a recent joke I read
said, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a lawyer!’ The popularity of Peru’s
cuisine is a result of both—about a decade and a half ago, the Peruvian
government reportedly made a conscious effort to popularise the country’s
cuisine and the country as a culinary destination. Anyone who’s anyone in the
global culinary world will tell you no one could have turned the vision to
reality better than Gastón Acurio, who dropped out of law college to get into
culinary school (Paris’ Le Cordon Bleu). Since his first venture in 1994,
Astrid y Gaston, he had built an empire of 32 restaurants in 11 countries by
early 2014, as per a Harvard Business School study, and wooed the world with
Peruvian cuisine through cookbooks (he’s written about 20), TV shows, food
festivals, you name it! He made the cuisine accessible. His restaurant,
Astrid y Gaston, which ranked 42 on the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list in
2011, rose to 14 in 2013 and still holds the spot. He’s a national hero and
if rumours are to believed, his countrymen wanted him to run for President!
Given its proximity to North America, it’s no surprise that the
Peruvian wave hit the US before brewing a storm on European shores. But it
takes more than catchy titles to keep readers hooked to your book. At his
newly-opened bar, LIMA in BKC, Atul Kochhar says, “Peru’s food is healthy,
and its produce (read quinoa) is marketed as organic. Quinoa is said to grow
wild on the mountains, though I’ve also heard it is now being grown on vast
areas of farmland.” Couldn’t be truer. Remember how the new superfood
‘quinoa’ hit the world a few years ago? Given that the urban Indian is becoming
increasingly health conscious, it has found its way not only in restaurants,
but in our homes too.
The story gets even more interesting. So besides the over 2,000
varieties of potatoes, hundreds of peppers and fruits, some of which
travelled the world even further back in history, what sets Peru’s cuisine
apart is the influence of migrants, especially Asians. “Churrasco, empanada
and croqueta are all available across South America, even beef and grilled
chicken. The seasoning—chilli, lemon, garlic and oil—is also largely the same
across the region. But what makes it different is how it integrates with
Japanese and Chinese cuisines. There’s a large population of Japanese in
Brazil too, but you don’t see it there,” Kochhar explains. When we talk about
Peruvian-Japanese cuisine, or Nikkei, we mustn’t forget the role of the
region’s fresh fish in making it possible as well as the highly acclaimed
Japanese chef, Nobu (Matsuhisa), who opened a sushi bar in Peru in the early
80s, long before it was on the world’s ‘hot list’.
Many from China and Japan moved to Peru in the 1800s as
labourers and farmers respectively. Chinese flavour fused with Peruvian food
to give birth to Chifa, which too was welcomed with gusto. But the influences
on Peru’s cuisine don’t stop here. You’ll also find in it traces of Spanish,
African and Italian cuisines. The result? Innovation and a smorgasbord of
flavours.
“Like us, Peruvians use a lot of spices, including turmeric,”
adds Kocchar. We’ve had years to warm up to the Mexican sister, now let’s
find out what Kocchar brings us from the Peruvian one—light Latin music to
dance to, colourful interiors, Pisco (Peru’s grape-based brandy on three of
its four cocktails, (My pick: Rosemary Passion Chilli), ceviches (the
vegetarian option is a Nikkei-inspired mushroom one), classic chicken causa
as well as delicacies from Brazil and Mexico. So while devouring the Peruvian
fare at LIMA, drink to the impact of its history.
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Pooja Bhula
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