Tiradito White Fish, a marinated thinly sliced white fish with chilli sauce served during the opening ceremony. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
THE second Peruvian Gastronomic Festival in Kuala Lumpur showcases the vibrant and diverse flavours of the South America country.
Held over three days at Peruvian Restaurant Feliz, the festival is organised by the Embassy of Peru in collaboration with the restaurant located in Avenue K.
The festival consists of a free cooking class today, already fully booked, with Peruvian chefs demonstrating the art of making Peru’s pride – the ceviche limeno, a dish with shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings.
Ambassador of Peru to Malaysia Ricardo Morote Canales said, “Cuisine plays an important role in everyone’s culture. You start by making simple dishes and over time, it brings people together for its unique taste and atmosphere, much like this festival.
“Peruvian cuisine is appreciated worldwide for its fusion with other cuisines like Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and African that captivate the most demanding palates.
“We are very proud to share the traditional Peruvian dishes during the festival,” said Canales at the launch on Thursday.
Over 200 guests who attended the launch had a preview of the delectable Peruvian dishes prepared at Feliz – including ceviche de pescado and mazamorra morada.
Feliz executive chef Franco Aldana, who oversees the food preparations during the festival, began his culinary career at the world’s Top 50 best restaurants — Astrid & Gaston, Osaka and Maido.
“I wanted to share the authenticity of Peruvian cuisine in the festival by highlighting my culture’s national dishes like the ceviche,” said Aldana.
“The ceviche was added into the Unesco’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2023.
“Our ingredients are imported from Peru ensuring an authentic offering of Peruvian cuisine in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
One of the guests who attended the launch event was Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia senior general manager, Ming Rathswohl Ho.
“The chefs did a remarkable job of serving authentic Peruvian dishes. Every dish was delicious and well-seasoned.
“I particularly enjoyed the ceviche and empanadas very much,” she said.
Speaking to StarMetro after the launch, Canales shared that the gastronomic festival was first held in 2022 and he hoped to continue hosting future editions.
“We hope the initiative can be done annually for all to enjoy,” he said.
“There are a few Peruvian chefs who are world famous now that we can possibly invite for the next year,” Canales added.
The festival caps off with a Peruvian brunch at Feliz from 11am to 3pm tomorrow with limited slots still available and priced at RM145++ per person. For details, call 011-1771 7742. — By DIVYA THERESA RAVI
