The food of the Andes was showcased, for the first time, at the First Annual Taste of Peru on October 23 – 24 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The show organizers, World Trade Center Miami, partnered with the Peruvian American Chamber of Commerce of South Florida (PACCSF) to bring this new element to fruition, which includes cuisine-related activities such as an inauguration cocktail, seminars, dance performances, contests, tastings and cooking demos.

In recent years, Peruvian food has become a global cuisine and is the new darling of the culinary world. In Miami, Florida alone, there’s an estimated 135 Peruvian restaurants. Julio Rodriguez, President of the PACCSF, has made it his mission to promote the innovation and sophistication of the foods and beverages of his native Peru. In addition to the festivities, Mr. Rodriguez organized two types of seminars. The first, hosted by a renowned Peruvian Chef, which focused on special ingredients, chef secrets, recipes and other like topics. The latter seminar spolighted how to successfully launch a Peruvian food & beverage business.

The PACCSF debuted the Peruvian Pavilion. According to Rodriguez, eight companies exhibited at the Peruvian Pavilion with coffees, Piscos, beverages, seafood and other food products. “Peru has 84 of 104 ecosystems that exist in the world making its ingredients and dishes as varied as the imagination itself,” said Rodriguez.

“Given the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and the United States, working closely with Peru was a natural choice,” said Charlotte Gallogly, President of the World Trade Center Miami. “The participation of countries like Peru underscores the scope and reach of our trade show as we become more and more international and continue to contribute to cross-border trade.”

For more information on future events, contact the PACCSF at 786-290 2899 / info@peruchamberusa.com.

Photographs by Betty Alvarez