New Ancient Civilization Found, Now in Chiclayo

If there is one thing about Peruvian history is that it goes way back thousands of years BC. With the nature of Peru’s landscape being so diverse and the Andes mountains crossing it vertically, it is no surprise that once again an entire ancient city is discovered — check out my earlier post on a Chachapoya tribe ancient city found in Peru’s Amazon. This time is a city in the north of Peru called Chiclayo, as BBC News reports.

Archaeologists claim to have found “the missing link between the ancient cultures of the Wari people and the earlier Moche civilisation […] because it explains how the Wari people allowed for the continuation of culture after the Moche.”

The Waris were the first strongly militaristic and urban culture of Peru who conquered the Moches by trying to enforce their own values and suppress local oral traditions and regional self-expression. The Wari empire ruled between approximately 100 AD to 700 AD – a few centuries before the Inca empire.

Here’s something to remember: if you get to visit Chiclayo, you will have a great archaeological and site seeing tour, but also one of the best beach areas and seafood in Peru!

Lucky You, San Francisco: The Acurio Empire Has Arrived!

One of Peru’s greatest cuisine treasures is Gaston Acurio. A native Peruvian chef, his unmatched vision and superior quality while preparing the food has just arrived this fall in San Francisco, CA (and now I am feeling SO envious to be in the East Coast!). This is his first restaurant in the U.S.

Acurio just opened this fall La Mar Cebicheria Peruana (means The Sea Peruvian Cebiche Restaurant) in the newly renovated Pier 1 1/2 – just north of the Ferry Building. It’s been said that the rear of the restaurant will open onto the marina. Similar to his La Mar restaurant in Lima, Peru, the menu includes “classic Peruvian dishes and ingredients, such as potatoes, tomatoes and chiles, as well as pastas combined with seafood and chile-infused sauces, all adapted to Northern California’s sensibility and ingredients”, as the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Other La Mar restaurants around the world are in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile.

This week, the Chronicle also reported chef Jose Luis de Cossío left to return to Andina, the Peruvian restaurant in Portland where he was executive chef before coming to La Mar. Taking his position will be chef Victoriano Lopez, the head chef for all of Acurio’s operations, who helped design the menu and has been at La Mar since it opened in Peru.

And if you want to get to learn more about this “next super chef “, check out his Conde Nast profile story, which states:

Acurio is the most famous chef you’ve never heard of. In the last five years, the 41-year-old has emerged as a celebrity south of the equator: He has more than a dozen high-end restaurants in Peru, with outposts in Mexico, Panama, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, and even Spain, plus a comfort-food chain, two fast-food franchises, a culinary school in Lima, a luxury eco-hotel opening next year, and a hit cooking show that plays constantly on Peruvian TV. Acurio’s businesses reportedly made $65 million in 2007, and revenues are expected to nearly double to $120 million in 2008.

So I guess I will either better start planning that trip to San Fran pretty soon…or start working on pitching him the idea to get a La Mar in the Nation’s Capital. Uhhhh…can’t wait!

And thanks to Marcelo Pimentel, my dear friend and correspondent for sending us the scoop from Lima, Peru.