Pachamanca, or “Earth Pot”, is an outdoor culinary activity at Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel representing the culinary tradition of the Incas. During the activity, guests see how a traditional Andean meal is prepared, as stones are placed to form an underground oven for ingredients such as potato, fava beans, aromatic herbs, and lamb meat. Ingredients are covered with large leaves before the oven is sealed with earth. When the ingredients heat and aroma fills the air, lunch is ready to enjoy with a glass of frutillada, a beverage made of fermented corn and red fruits. Duration of class is one hour and 45 minutes, and it includes preparation of strawberry “chicha” and the Sumaq “Pachamanca” lunch.
The cooking class at Sumaq allows guest to join a resident chef for personalized cooking lessons, and a glimpse into the secrets of one of the world’s most celebrated cuisines, where culinary traditions incorporate the finest ingredients from the Andes, the Amazon and the coast. Guests can learn to prepare a perfect ceviche, Peru’s signature dish of citrus-marinated seafood, spiced with aji pepper. (In June the hotel will celebrate National Ceviche Day, where guests will experience complimentary different tastings at the hotel and be giving a recipe book on ceviche.) During the cooking class, guests may also discover the art of mixing a pisco sour infused with exotic native fruit.
The executive chef at Sumaq is Carlos Pardo Figueroa, a Peruvian born in Lima, he makes sure Ingredients used throughout the hotel, as well as in dishes on Qunuq Restaurant’s latest menu include sustainable products produced in Cusco, prepared with his impeccable international technique. He oversees all culinary activities and the kitchen of Qunuq Restaurant. Qunuq offers a fabulous selection of novo-andean and Peruvian cuisine. The creative nature of the chef is visible in the tortilla chips made with olives and sweet ham and the unexpected chocolate ciabatta with passionfruit flavoured butter. The restaurant itself is more formal than most restaurants in Machu Picchu with very attentive service, while also giving visitors a real feel for Andean food and flavors. This is the most luxurious restaurant in Machu Picchu, it’s totally authentic and steers clear of anything near a tourist trap in a destination that can be full of them.Nearly 80% of Sumaq’s food comes from Cusco- from regions like the Sacred Valley, Quillabamba and Paucartambo,
Other products are sourced from the nearby city of Puno, like the alpaca meat (Sumaq is an amazing place to try Alpaca meat), trout, quinoa, paria (type of cheese) and other Andean cheeses. Ingredients like nuts and papaya are sourced from Puerto Maldonado, Another city near Cusco.
**Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel is a 60-room luxury hotel located in the Machu Picchu historic sanctuary on the banks of the Vilcanota River. Sumaq offers striking views of Machu Picchu’s most beautiful landscapes, excellent service, authentic Peruvian cuisine, and strong connection to the local community. For more information please visit www.machupicchuhotels-sumaq.com
