Tasting the Earth

Dawn breaks over Laikipia in a slow unfurling of color – deep violet melting into amber as the first light spills across the plains. The chatter of weaver birds rises with the heat. From the foothills of Mount Kenya, El Karama Lodge overlooks a vast, untamed wilderness – golden savannah stretching to the horizon, elephants drifting through the morning haze. This off-grid sanctuary, with its thatched cottages and bandas, sets the stage for the first Kitchen in the Wild, a new retreat offering “far-flung adventures for the culinary curious”.

Founded by British chef and food writer Valentine Warner and events organiser Clare Isaacs, Kitchen in the Wild shares El Karama’s passion for slow travel and a more sustainable approach to cooking, inviting chefs and guests to explore and immerse themselves in the beauty of the Rift Valley. Ingredients are locally sourced from within a 60km radius (Val notes that “the beef from El Kamara’s own farm is exceptional”) or grown in the lodge’s shamba – a kitchen garden overflowing with sun-ripened tree tomatoes, bright chilies and nutrient-dense yams.

Top: The bush breakfast; Above: Charred wahoo fish marinated in chermoula, Kitchen in the Wild Kenya

For guests of the inaugural event this autumn, days unfold in tune with the wild. Mornings begin with breakfast (crispy fried termites – “they are delicious,” Val says – with fried eggs or perhaps a kedgeere with smoked tilapia) at the communal table, before setting out on a guided adventure – following ethnobotanist Anne Powys on a bush foraging walk in search of edible roots, tracing leopard tracks in the dust with an expert safari guide, or casting lines into the fast-moving waters of the Ewaso Nyiro, the day’s catch destined for the evening’s fire. As the sun sinks, the group gathers to cook and share an evolving menu devised by Warner and guest chef Jackson Boxer. Bitings (Kenyan appetisers) are served with cold bottles of Tusker lager, while dishes such as charred wahoo fish marinated in chermoula (a fragrant North African blend of herbs, spices and citrus) and served with kachumbari (a sharp, spicy tomato and onion salad), or spit-roasted goat with ugali (a savoury Kenyan cornmeal porridge), celebrate the tradition of collaborative cooking. The next Kitchen in the Wild events will take place in 2026, bringing this immersive, land-connected culinary experience to Scotland.

High in the Peruvian Andes, Pía León is another chef drawing deep inspiration from her surroundings. Raised in Lima, she has spent years exploring Peru’s remote landscapes, learning from Indigenous communities whose culinary traditions span centuries. At her restaurant, Mauka – named after an endangered Andean root – León celebrates the biodiversity of the country’s mountains. While the highest point in Peru may be Huascarán (6,768m above sea level), Mauka sits at a no less awe-inspiring 3,400m, within the stone walls of Palacio Nazarenas, a former convent in the heart of Cusco. Here, León showcases hyper-local ingredients and traditional techniques, crafting dishes that burst with colour and flavour – such as skirt steak paired with the fiery tang of Panca pepper and potatoes roasted in Chaco clay, a practice passed down and refined over 2,500 years.

Above: The central courtyard and gardens at Palacio Nazarena, a Belmond Hotel, Cusco (Photo: Francisco Parente)

It’s no wonder Peru has been named a Leading Culinary Destination for the twelfth consecutive year in the World’s Best Awards. The country’s cuisine is woven from centuries of migration and exchange, with Indigenous, Spanish, African and Asian influences creating a culinary identity as diverse as the country’s dramatic landscapes. For those seeking to fully immerse themselves in this extraordinary food culture, Belmond’s Great Food Adventure offers a nine-day odyssey through the heart of Peru – from the bustling markets of Lima to the ancient salt pans of Maras, where the air is heady with the scent of mineral-rich earth.

In the lowlands of the Sacred Valley, fertile soil yields lucuma (an antioxidant-rich native fruit), peach, avocado and corn, while the waters of Lake Titicaca, the birthplace of the Inca Empire, offer a chance to sample the highest-altitude-grown quinoa in the world. Quinoa, or chisaya mama – the “mother” of all grains – was nearly lost to history when thousands of fields were destroyed during the Spanish conquests in the 1530s in an attempt to suppress Incan culture. It endured, high in the mountains, and is still revered today as a sacred gift from the gods.

It is these deeply-rooted, authentic connections to the land that make the food experience here so profound – and so delicious. When we venture into the remote corners of the world with curiosity and respect, it gives us something in return – a deeper understanding of place and tradition, as well as memories of meals that stay with us long after we leave.

Above: Smoked duck at Mauka, Peru ( Photo: Gustavo Vivanco León)

SDP tip: ‘This year, I was lucky enough to get a reservation at Immersión MIL in Cusco – the dream child of chef Virgilio Martinez who first created Central in Lima (voted #1 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants). We spent three hours in the fields above the Incan site of Moray with our guide Cleto Cusipaucar, learning about native varieties of ingredients, all of which we then savoured in our multi-course lunch. An unforgettable explosion of taste, colour and textures that I hope to share with my SDP members travelling to Peru.’ – Jules Maury, Head of Scott Dunn Private