Vegetarian Guide to Peru

INTERVIEW by Peruforless.com

1 . Since when have you been working in Cusco?

We opened in March 2017, the first vegan restaurant in the Sacred Valley (outside of Pisac’s offerings) and one of only a couple in the Cusco region at the time.

2 . What’s your favorite dish on the menu?

My favorite is Seco de Frejoles, which is creamed red kidney beans with a coriander sauce containing finely chopped peppers, carrots, and maize. The combination is lush and it’s a very common dish here normally containing lamb. Nutritionally, lamb is not necessary, the beans and rice provide a full biological protein mix and it’s a super filling dish, lovely texture and great flavor. The heavy herb sauce is abundant with micronutrients essential for your adaptation to the altitude.

3 . What type of cuisine do you mainly focus on?

I offer typical, original Peruvian vegan dishes and home favorites of mine, such as wholesome creamed vegetable soups, hummus, curry, and falafel. I often have non-vegetarian customers who are just desperate to eat some vegetables, few realize that Peruvians eat their veggies in the soup starter, it's not very common to have side veggies on your plate with the meat, rice and potatoes here.

4 . Do you eat a plant-based diet? (a little about your history with veganism)

When I arrived in Ollantaytambo 7 years ago, I had been vegan for 2 years. I spoke no Spanish, and there were no supermarkets. Everything here has to be made from scratch. Even with a nutritional therapy background I struggled until I understood what things were in their raw form.

I lived on avocado and stir fry veg and ended up selling out. Yep, I gave up. I moved in with my new boyfriend’s family and his mom cooked for me every day. Not being able to communicate, being polite and grateful, and not having a clue what I was eating half the time was how I lived for 2 years.

I learned Spanish through immersion and learned to cook Peruvian dishes, and thereby I learned how to buy food. And, I learned about conscious meat eating because we had live food that had to be killed and prepared. I also decided that I was going to eat meat for social survival and to fit into my new culture, who eat large portions of meat at all their parties and celebrations. I had no right to be squeamish and my willingness to understand and embrace local ways (which also included dancing with them to brass band music – ha ha) meant that they embraced me.

As they learned of my preference for plant-based meals the family more and more frequently ate traditional vegetarian and even vegan Peruvian dishes, and I learned that their diet had originally/historically been much more grain and potato-based than meat-based. Thankfully, dairy is used minimally in the Peruvian diet and the use of oats and alternative flours was welcome relief. Once I could buy and cook my own food my vegan preference became my norm once again and I realized I could enjoy a far better vegan diet than I had ever imagined.

5 . What inspired you to open a vegan restaurant?

My cooking ideas and nutrition knowledge drew more and more attention and I decided I wanted to offer vegan food. Vegetarian food back then for me was typical dishes that I picked the meat out of, and in the process insulted the cook who just thought I was weird.

I opened and everyone thought I would fail. When I didn’t, an extra section was added to most restaurant menus in town. Vegetarian offerings (although a little rough) were suddenly widely available. Unfortunately your quinoa burger is probably going to be cooked on the same hot plate, next to the alpaca burger and will probably smell of meat, but it’s a first step and I welcome it!

6 . What is your philosophy regarding food?

If I didn’t care for it, if I can’t kill it myself, and if I can’t chop it up or point to the section of the animal laid out in front of me that I want a slice off to eat – then I shouldn’t eat it!

I sometimes get frustrated by people cuddling a guinea pig and condemning a Peruvian for eating it, or getting squeamish at the sight of a dead animal when they have no idea where the flesh, in a packet, purchased in the supermarket came from.

However, it is important to be aware that change does not occur overnight, nor does it occur from making others wrong. It’s easy to be righteous about our values when we have choices laid out for us, but more choice is a result of more flexibility and understanding. Someone paved the way for those choices through integration and I hope I was one of those people in this town.

7 . Why is vegan food important?

Essential is what it is! When our younger generations are growing up fearful for their survival potential and are having to protest to be heard. When we can buy packets of flesh and forget it’s even part of an animal, waste it, and over produce it like it’s not a living creature with a soul. Western obesity is gluttony, one of the original sins, why don’t we talk about sins anymore? Why is greed ok? And it makes me sooooo sad when I see fast food chains opening here and their over-production techniques that they deploy (particularly with chickens). This changes natural and more nutritious local farming behavior.

8 What do you love most about sharing plant-based food with the community?

PROGRESSION! I am super happy when Peruvians eat at my restaurant and I have more and more local guides eating with their tourist groups instead of going to find chicken or a local menu. This makes my day! This I see as my reward for originally aligning with them and enabling their comfort and confidence in me, to try and enjoy a healthy, kinder way of eating.

9 . How would you describe the atmosphere of your restaurant?

Certainly native. We have original Inca built walls, and a large glass topped table (for groups) made from a stump and extending boughs of a local Eucalyptus tree. The kitchen is open and modern both to offer the hygiene standard I expect and to offer good conditions to my staff. Happy staff are very important because I like my place to feel happy and friendly, as well as fresh and wholesome. The music is usually mellow and often romantic if my cook gets her fingers on the playlist.

10 . What is your favorite animal and why?

I love birds, their colours, their strength, their intelligence and elegance. I think about the vision that is possible for them—their incredible eyesight enables them to focus in on the smallest detail. I love the distances they can cover and the amazing feeling of freedom they must experience. From the cute and tiny Robin red-breast of home in the UK, to Macaws of the jungle and to the giant Condors here in the Andes, I am in awe of these creatures.

11 . What makes Cusco and the Andes an exciting place to be vegetarian?

The abundance of fresh, commonly organic fruit and vegetables. The climate here enables long seasons of many vegetable varieties. I love it that I can buy my produce from local growers. Many people sell from their gardens or family-owned pieces of farmland called Chakras – don’t you love that, that their land shares its name with our body’s energy vortexes of Eastern medicine traditions?

There was little knowledge (although this is changing fast, sadly) of fertilizers and pesticides. The people here have techniques and traditions (including prayer and rituals) to strengthen and protect their food as it grows. The God or deity that overlooks this town from the mountain Pinkuylluna was in fact the God of food and abundance. Additionally, the variety of grain totally excites me, I use no wheat in my restaurant, there’s absolutely no need. ‘Las siete harinas’ (The seven flours) on offer means that wheat has no priority or dominance.

12 . What is next for Alma Amor?

Alma Amor is a Wellness Centre and now that the restaurant on the first floor is established I will be looking for collaboration to get the Wellness Services going. We currently have massages but a regular local yoga teacher has been a struggle. I hope to run courses and retreats next to encourage people to stay longer, experience the healing and natural support of this very sacred place and consequently, support the many local family businesses here.

13 . Anything else you would like to mention?

I’d like to give a shout out for the medicinal food abundance in Peru. The still rather basic and out-of-reach healthcare means that there is a wealth of knowledge and abundant supply of herbs, spices and medicinal preparations readily and cheaply available.

We offer medicinal teas, alternative lattes and ceremonial food. But please, if you see a local woman in the street with a trolley, with at least 6 wine style bottles of different colours, try her brew for 1 sole. It’s a delicious herbal mix containing linseed (soaked to make a gooey consistency, looks like egg white – its NOT!). Super nutritious, anti-inflammatory and very protective. It’s called emoliente. Enjoy!

Enjoy the full magazine here for Cusco wide recommendations