Peruvian food is having a global moment, and Bangkok is getting a front-row seat. Teaming up with the Embassy of Peru, Banyan Tree Bangkok is running 'Peru Mucho Gusto', a five-day dining programme that gathers six Peruvian chefs currently cooking across Asia — from Hong Kong and Malaysia to Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
The line-up is split across two very different experiences. Down at Romsai on the B floor, three chefs — Santiago Fernandez (Buenazo, Thailand), Abel Ortiz Alvarez (ChullsChick, Hong Kong) and Franco Aldana (Feliz, Malaysia) — helm a Peruvian dinner buffet running from the event's opening night through Friday. Expect the full spread of Peru's food map: bright, acidic coastal dishes, hearty highland plates and the kind of native ingredients and bold spicing that have turned Peruvian cuisine into one of the world's most talked-about food cultures.
For something more theatrical, head up. Literally — to Vertigo Too on the 60th floor. There, chefs Akira Oshita (Indonesia), Pier López (Vietnam) and Rodrigo Serrano (Philippines) join forces for 'Peruvian Storry: Six Hands Nikkei', a six-course tasting menu served on Saturday and Sunday only. The theme is Nikkei cuisine, the Japanese-Peruvian fusion born of Japanese migration to Peru, and the menu traces that evolution dish by dish.
Standouts on the tasting menu include Akami Tiradito with citrus ponzu, a Sudado Chirashi pairing abalone with Hokkaido scallop, and batayaki lobster dressed in a curry made with Villa Rica coffee. Dessert brings it home with a trio of lúcuma, hojicha and Peruvian cacao — three ingredients that neatly sum up the cultural back-and-forth behind Nikkei cooking.
Prices run from 1,800 to 3,800 baht per person depending on the experience, and bookings go through megatix.in.th or the hotel directly on 02-679-1200.
Why bother? Because Peruvian restaurants in Southeast Asia are still rare enough that catching six of the region's Peruvian chefs under one roof is an unusual chance. The buffet suits a casual evening with friends; the six-hands dinner is the pick for anyone who treats holidays as an excuse to eat well, with the vertigo-inducing views over Bangkok as a bonus. If you're in the Thai capital this week, it's the most interesting table in town.
