Exceptional chefs in Green Pearls® Hotels worldwide
Inkaterra and its history
In 1975 the current owner of Inkaterra, José Koechlin von Stein, bought land in Puerto Maldonado and built his first hotel, the Reserva Amazónica Lodge. He founded Inkaterra as a company with the goal of adding value to rural areas without harming nature. Inkaterra is considered a pioneer of ecotourism in Peru and is recognized worldwide for its efforts to preserve Peru's nature and culture and enabling local communities to participate in tourism. Today, seven lodges belong to the Inkaterra group and are located in the Amazon Rainforest, the Machu Picchu Cloud Forest, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and in the city of Cusco.
The Inkaterra hotels also set new standards in culinary delights. Guests can book special tours in the area to learn about growing conditions and local products.
Nature provides seasonal products that give a very important pattern to the kitchen life. These help us orientate our work in harmony with nature and create our own approaches and techniques, in particular, the ‘Earth to Table’ concept we are now proposing in some of our hotels.
Earth to Table
The "Earth to Table" concept of the Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba invites its guests to participate in the harvest on the 10-acre organic farm - using traditional tools and oxen. After the physical exertion in the field, guests will certainly appreciate the potato differently at their next meal! And this is exactly the philosophy of the renowned hotel chain. The guests are given the opportunity not only to get to know regional products but also to make a direct connection.
One of the most important and complex challenges is to achieve good product traceability. Luckily, we have on an excellent logistic team that we can rely on that use alternative and efficient means of transportation to reach our properties: air, land and river.
Chef Rafael Casin
Peruvian chef Rafael Casin began his career in London and Italy, where he worked at Alla Colombo, a charming restaurant in Treviso. After his return to Peru, his path led him to the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, where he deepened his understanding of Andean cuisine as Executive Chef. Additional stops included the Palacio del Inka in Cusco and the Tambo del Inka (Urubamba). Always ready to learn new things, he continued to develop skills and his culinary expertise in the best Mexican restaurants and completed an internship at El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain) in 2013, which was awarded three Michelin stars in 2013 and 2015 as the best restaurant in the world. Rafael is currently Corporate F&B Manager in the Inkaterra hotel family. He is responsible for the kitchens of all Inkaterra hotels. His tasks include making sure that the food offered is seasonal and regional, if possible, and creating new exciting dishes. On special occasions, he cooks for himself and also to show the local chefs and team how to master the latest recipes.
His cuisine combines luxury and Peruvian tradition with a sustainable approach, inspired by the best products of each region.
As part of the "Earth to Table" concept at Inkaterra La Casona in Cusco, Rafael has succeeded in creating a unique fusion of a rustic yet refined style. His goal is to introduce the world to the variety of local products of Cusco, to strengthen the local culinary tradition and to provide a unique culinary experience through his dishes.
Let Rafael's recommendation inspire you:
Causa from the Inkaterra Urubamba
Ingredients (for one serving)
- 250g Yellow potato
- 120g Chicken Breast
- 3g Yellow Chili Pepper
- 7g Fresh Shrimp
- 2g Mayonnaise
- 8g Avocado
- 0,1g Red Caviar
- 2 g Black Olives
- Green Lime
- Chili Pepper - Ají Limo (1 g)
- 1 tomato cherry
- 1 quail egg
- Vegetable oil
Preparation
- Prepare a cream with the yellow chili pepper (previously boiled 4 times without its pips, take the skin off and process).
- Separately cook the chicken breast and once ready reserve it for the filling.
- Dry the black olive and cut it in small cubes (brunoise); fry the fresh shrimp for the filling & cut it in small cubes (brunoise), mix it with the mayonnaise, the chili pepper, the coriander, reserve.
- Dry the black olive and cut it in small cubes (brunoise); fry the fresh shrimp for the filling & cut it in small cubes (brunoise), mix it with the mayonnaise, the chili pepper, the coriander, reserve.
- Prepare an avocado puree and mix it with a few drops of green lime, reserve: boil the quail egg and reserve.
- Prepare an avocado puree and mix it with a few drops of green lime, reserve: boil the quail egg and reserve.
- Once everything ready, place a circle or a round mold at the center of the plate, fill the base with the potato mix "causa", add the filling, then on the top another layer of potato mix, add half quail egg, half tomato cherry, the whole shrimp. Decorate with 3 drops of avocado purée, the dry black olive, and the red caviar.