Chef Rely Alencastre puts an upscale, modern twist on traditional Andean cuisine at Pirqa Restaurant, located inside the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, a former 16th century convent turned luxury hotel.
Focusing on locally sourced ingredients from the surrounding Andes region and Sacred Valley of the Incas, Rely is keen on developing menus based on seasonal ingredients and harvests. His culinary point of view has influenced a series of personalized experiences offered by the hotel in Peru that allow guests to learn about and thoroughly savor Peruvian cuisine.
These include a five-course interactive cooking lesson that begins with a tour of the local Mercado San Pedro. That's where Rely sources 100 percent of the hotel’s fruit, vegetables and dairy products from local purveyors.
Agents should note that these are curated experiences that are available upon request, but need to be booked in advance. The tour includes stops at the vendor stands he frequents on a daily basis, and each generously allow guests to sample ingredients that range from chirimoya, to lucuma, queso andino (Andean cheese), coffee and quinoa.
Visit www.jwmarriottcusco.com