Lima – known as the City of Kings during colonial times – has become the Gastronomic Capital of America; so we can call it now the City of Cooking Kings. This deserving award is a way of acknowledging the unquestionable and remarkable attributes of Limean cuisine. The convergence and synergetic fusion of the very best of different cultures and traditions gave birth to one of the best and most recognized cuisines in the world, the Limean cuisine. African, Spanish, Chinese, Moorish, Japanese and Italian influence -just to mention the most important ones- is easily recognized in this cuisine where different techniques and ingredients interact in perfect harmony, combining chili peppers (most important ingredient of Peruvian cuisine), seafood from the Pacific, potatoes, cereals and other ingredients that were part of the nutrition of ancient Peruvian people.
Limean cuisine took the best from each one of these cuisines and made it its own, changing whatever was necessary to make a unique and own expression. This is how cebiches, anticuchos, lomo saltado, ají de gallina and chifa were born, and needless to mention deserts, legacy of Limean colonial convents, whose alfajores and suspiro are their more distinguished representatives.

Lima has always been a melting pot for the Peruvian cuisine which is still reinventing and adapting itself to the demands of the different palates of Lima and the world. Along this path a new trend called the Novoandina Cuisine tendency has born in Lima, the capital of Peru, and nowadays is presented in all restaurants all over Peru. The Novoandina Cuisine intends to use Peruvian ingredients, used by ancient Peruvians, regaining their value by using techniques and elements of the world’s haute cuisine, especially European cuisine.

This article has been written with reference to “Mistura 2010 “, a food fair which will take place in Lima in order to show the importance of this city within Peruvian cuisine. This fair will take place from 7th to 12th of September. As the ultimate event for Limean cooks and diners, it looks for people’s identification with its cuisine, recognition of its diversity as a source of its variety and distinction, as well as the acknowledge of the value of popular cuisine and its infinite expressions.

So, whether you are in Lima or not during Mistura 2010, you cannot miss the opportunity to make your stay a gastronomic adventure. We assure you this will be an experience of extraordinary flavors and variety, your palate will be grateful at the first taste, from the most humble stand in a public market to the most luxurious and prestigious restaurant, each of them has a unique and delicious proposal waiting for you, with its own version of history. What a good way to know about people and their culture just through their cuisine, a cultural expression that goes over the barriers of society and beliefs. So we invite you to enjoy Lima and its excellent cuisine.

The Condor Travel Team