When it comes to food, there are a lot of experiences that we can call thrilling, but nothing will come close to the joy of being served an array of regional delicacies on a train. And if the train in question is South America’s first luxury sleeper train — the Belmond Andean Explorer — there’s not a lot that can be more exciting.
Launched earlier this year, the train allows guests to soar to new culinary heights, as they sample a distinctive regional cuisine, inspired by the journey through the Peruvian Andes, from the comfort of elegant dining carriages that travel along at altitudes of up to 4,800 metres en route from Cusco to Arequipa.
Inspired by Peru, the menu has been created by noted chef and ambassador of Peruvian cuisine, Diego Muñoz, also the executive chef on the train. Working with sous chef Carlos Risco and the team at Belmond Hotel Monasterio in Cusco to create daily menus that best showcase the flavours of traditional Peruvian ingredients — including fresh fish from the Moquegua coast, trout from Lake Arapa, broad beans and lemons from Cusco, mushrooms, beets and corn from the Sacred Valley, Peruvian native potatoes, and quinoa from the Altiplano — that are transformed into sensational dishes.
The prospect of serving gourmet food to people on a train is definitely something unusual, remarks Muñoz. “The fact that we have a luxury sleeper train in Peru is amazing. The things you see along the route, the places you can visit, and being able to cook with the epic scenery rolling by, makes for a unique experience. I see the challenges of cooking on a train as ‘beautiful possibilities’ and I love the romance of the journey. After my first trip to Peru to experience the train, I fell in love with my home country all over again. The journey, travelling at such heights, awakens your senses and creates pure magic,” he says.
Muñoz says he and his team studied the regions the train passes through, and the ingredients available en route. “The journey is an experience in its own right, but we wanted to portray the culture, history and heritage of Peru all at the same time in every meal,” he explains.
When he’s not on the train, Muñoz oversees menu concepts at other restaurants. “In Miami, the 1111 Peruvian Bistro gives a fresh approach to Peruvian cuisine, whereas the Cantina Peruana in Lisbon puts the focus on seafood, and the common links between Portugal and Perú. Our project in Copenhagen goes further still and brings together other Latin flavours. The pop ups in Lima are about delivering good food with a casual approach. Creating dishes for a moving restaurant with limited kitchen space was a new concept that provided a new challenge, but as with all other concepts, the focus remained on how to deliver a quality product.”
The biggest takeaway for travellers on the Belmond Andean Explorer, the chef says, is to experience sensational flavours and be surprised by the diversity of the menu.
What goes into customising this menu to showcase Peruvian cuisine? Muñoz replies that Peruvian cuisine is a mixture of many cultures, starting from the ancient Peruvian to incorporating Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese and Italian influences in an environment with great biodiversity. “On board, we want to showcase the highly technical harmony of this cultural mix.”
Looking back at his own journey into food, Muñoz recalls that it started in 1998, when he decided to quit university to become a professional chef. “It went from curiosity to pure authentic passion, and then it became a way of life. Places and cultures, super-inspiring chefs and kitchen brigades around the world are part of the journey.”
He goes on to add: “I have being cooking for more than 15 years, and last year, I embraced the idea of becoming a free rider. This made room for some interesting projects around the world. Of course, I miss the routine and safety of a restaurant, but I have a different perspective now. It might sound volatile, but it drives me to explore and I am enjoying it.”
The Belmond Andean Explorer caters for up to 48 passengers. For more information, visit www.belmond.com/
belmond-andean-explorer.