Aracari's head of marketing Caroline, tests out a new culinary experience for our guests, tasting her way through the streets of Cusco and learning more about Peruvian food with every bite! Peru boasts an almost unbelievable number of ingredients and rich culinary history, sitting firmly on the international food scene as a must-visit culinary destination. Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire, is surrounded by the Andes which are recognized for their wide array of natural ingredients.  Ancient superfoods like quinoa and kiwicha sit alongside the seemingly humble potato; nearby, the Sacred Valley lays claim to a special variety of corn, the giant choclo.  Aracari now offers a special food-focused morning tour, led on foot by one of the city’s top professional chefs, so on a recent trip to Cusco, I went along to meet one of the chefs and test it out. Cusco Food tour with a professional chef Ingredients and their diversity from Cusco and beyond have helped inspire the country’s leading chefs to deliver internationally-acclaimed fare, consolidated Peru’s position as a gastronomic epicenter. On this tour you're led by one of our two professional chefs: Rodrigo Balbontín | Born in Chile, but raised gastronomically in Peru, Rodrigo took his first cooking class at the age of 9. Studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Peru’s culinary capital of Lima, he has worked in the kitchens of many of the country’s top restaurants including Astrid y Gaston, Rafael and Maido, as well as gaining experience abroad in London, Madrid and Barcelona. Rodrigo is passionate about food and experimenting in the kitchen, and enjoys sharing his love of cuisine with visitors. Stephan Joubert | Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Stephan studied culinary arts in his home city before exploring the world through top hotel kitchens including the Radison Blu Saton and the Ritz