In
a part of the world famed for its cuisine, it was always going to be
a tough call.
But
Peru has beaten off stiff competition from its South American
neighbours to be named the continent's Leading Culinary Destination.
The
accolade was presented at the Caribbean and The Americas ceremony at
the World Travel Awards, set up to 'acknowledge, reward and celebrate
excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry'.
The worldwide awards will be announced in December.
Other
nominees for the South American prize included Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Maria
del Carmen de Reparaz, director of tourism promotion for Peru, said:
'We’re delighted and honoured to have been recognised with such an
accolade.
'Peruvian
food combines authentic ingredients from the nation’s highlands,
jungles and coastline together with culinary influences from Europe,
the Far East and Africa and fully deserves its reputation as a
gastronomic superpower.'
Peruvian
cuisine - which includes quinoa, a staple with health enthusiasts -
is growing in popularity on the world's gastronomic stage. The
country has a long culinary history, dating back to the Incas and
beyond.
From the rice, fowl and goat dishes in the north coastal regions, to the potato, sweetcorn, chilli pepper and guinea pig of the Andes, there's a gastronomic tradition to match every landscape.
Cultural
changes have also helped to shape the cooking, with Spanish, Arab,
African, Chinese and Italian influences infusing recipes.
This
summer saw the opening of chef Virgilio Martinez's Lima London in
Fitzrovia, and fellow native Gastón Acurio has launched restaurants
in a number of South American capitals and farther afield in San
Francisco and Madrid.