Have you ever dreamed of hiking an ancient path near the top of the world? And maybe fueling the journey with trailside feasts and wines to match? No longer a mere flight of fancy, this tantalizing notion is about to become reality for a few adventurous souls headed for Peru’s Inca Trail.
In July, Firestone Vineyard announced the release of a new label called Firestone Discoveries, an affordable line of wines described as “perfect for both everyday adventures and unplanned explorations in the kitchen and beyond.” At $10 per bottle, they are indeed affordable and, Firestone Vineyard press releases promise, bound to “encourage new experiences in wine, cuisine, and travel.”
As part of the label launch, Firestone sponsored a competition among the nation’s chefs and social media mavens to select two people for an all expenses-paid trip to Machu Picchu. Winners include one chef to whip up fabulous meals along the Inca Trail, and one Pathfinder to document and blog about the haps along the
25-mile route.
Three applicants for the chef slot won coveted spots among the finalists based on the number of hits garnered by their YouTube video applications. The three Pathfinder finalists were selected randomly from more than 2,000 contestants, with extra points going to those who referred the most friends to the Firestone Discoveries Facebook page.
On Jan. 11, the six finalists convened at Firestone’s Crossroads pole barn for an old-fashioned throw-down to determine who had the goods for cooking and blogging, while traversing a footpath at 8,000 feet.
Shopping at local stores, the chefs each parlayed $300 into small plate dishes representative of Peruvian cuisine for 50 guests. Using basic implements similar to those available on the trail, such as a barbecue, propane stove, table, and non-industrial cookware, they tailored each dish to pair with one of the Firestone Discoveries wines.
Chef Tim Kirker, chef/partner at Bistrot Zinc, in Chicago, prepared succulent pork and lamb over quinoa (a grain considered sacred by the Inca), while Scott Beale, chef/owner of Grey Gelding Bistro and Bar in New York, layered a shrimp cake with sliced beef filet and drizzled with aji pepper sauce over all. Rodelio Aglibo, executive chef of Chicago’s Sunda Restaurant, wowed the judges with stewed, shredded chicken served over potatoes and garnished with aji amarillo sauce, avocado, and a wedge of hard-cooked egg.
The winner was Aglibo, also known as “the Food Buddha,” for his culinary skills and his uncanny resemblance to the laughing hotei. The judges felt he showed adaptability and imagination in producing his entree and pairing it with the wine, and deemed that his genial showmanship would also play well on the trail.
The three Pathfinder contestants, acting as sous chefs, chopped veggies in the open-air barn, juggled pans on propane-fired stoves, and washed up with a garden hose. The winner, Margie Tosch, a Sonoma native and founder of the Wine and Hospitality Network, managed to complete her kitchen tasks while firing off a flurry of Facebook posts.
A mix of famous figures, the panel of judges included Chef Bradley Ogden (executive chef at Root 246 in Solvang) Michael Cervin (food columnist and Santa Barbara/Ventura-area radio host), and Paul Warson (Firestone Vineyard’s winemaker). From farther afield came Anthony Dias Blue (influential wine, food, and lifestyle writer based in Los Angeles) and Janelle Weaver (executive chef for Napa Valley’s Kuleto Estate Winery).
On April 17, the winners of Firestone Discoveries’ Hike the Inca Trail competition will begin their guided tour under the aegis of Zephyr Adventures, a Montana-based travel company that “specializes in embracing life-changing experiences.” The chefs will meet with the trip’s Peruvian cook to draw up a menu based on local ingredients, and then shop market stalls for vittles like potatoes, corn, avocados, peppers, spices, meats, and exotic fresh fruits.
The Pathfinders, meanwhile, will presumably be checking and re-checking their cameras, laptops, and battery packs.
Once on the trail, the crew will have only a gas stove for cooking and a cold, running stream for refrigeration. When sunlight dims, they’ll rely on a lantern slung from the roof of the cooking tent as they prepare three sumptuous meals each day.
Luckily for the rest of us, this singular adventure is open to anyone with the price of admission. For $2,500, foodies and mountain dreamers can join the fun on an eight-day trip that features a private chef and event documentarian, with no extra charge for the wines and gourmet meals.
To all you would-be trekker chefs and trail-hungry media-whizzes, don’t despair, for the folks at Firestone Discoveries wines plan to sponsor a similar competition next year. So get your video applications ready, brush up on the latest social networking tricks, and prepare to make that mountain-high dream come true.
K. Reka Badger is a true trailblazer. E-mail comments or ideas to rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Feb 4-11, 2010.