Did you know that the Andean highlands are home to 4,000 types of potatoes?
There are 17 megadiverse countries in the world. These countries harbor the majority of earth’s species. Out of these 17, Peru is arguably one of the most diverse.
According to the Peruvian Ministry of Environment, Peru has 38 different microclimates. You can also divide the different climates per height. Chile has 3 height climates, Ecuador has 5, and Peru has 8.
The point I’m trying to make is that Peru has one of the most varied climates in the world and, as a result, an astonishing amount of food and dishes. It’s incredibly nutritious and full of cultural importance.
The Incas, who covered six countries in today’s world, have thousands of years of knowledge. They traded across regions and enhanced the food culture.
Later, in the 80s, many Peruvians were displaced due to terrorist attacks and fled to the big cities to get jobs. They brought their food knowledge with them, which led to the fusion of recipes and new dishes gaining popularity.
In my interview with Colombian artist Andrés Ribón, he said, “we need the whole ecosystem.”
Rosario Olivas Weston told me the same. “We usually contribute the success of a dish to the chef who made it, but we need the whole system. The farmers are the ones that can tell you everything about the food. He can tell you how to grow potatoes and the differences in flavor, sweetness, and texture. Chefs rely on this Indigenous knowledge, the knowledge from the immigrants who moved to the city, and hundreds of years of cultural legacy to create the dish you’re eating today in a Peruvian restaurant.”
But there’s more to this history. For that, we need to travel back to 1925.