From the vibrant and eclectic flavours of Burmese cuisine at The Governor’s Residence to the evolution of Peruvian dishes at Hotel Monasterio and the secrets of rice farming at La Résidence Phou Vao in Laos, Orient-Express is sharing its in-depth, insider’s gastronomic and cultural knowledge with guests. 

Guests staying at The Governor’s Residence in Yangon, Burma, can now learn about the national cuisine on a Blue Taxi Market Tour followed by a cookery demonstration. Led by the hotel’s Executive Chef, Iain Murray, guests are taken in a traditional 1970’s Blue Mazda Taxi to one of the nearby bustling markets. Here Iain will explain the many different varieties of fruit and vegetables on offer, including south-east Asian favourites such as jackfruit, rambutan, mango and pickled-tea.

Returning to the hotel guests embark on a cookery demonstration learning how to create three traditional Burmese salads, using products that have been hand selected at the market that morning. The tea-leaf salad (pickled green tea-leaf with butterbeans, peanuts, sesame, dry shrimps and chilli) is always created during the demonstration. An authentic dish to Burma, it enables guests to delight in a new culinary experience. Having sampled their newly prepared dishes, guests are treated to a delicious buffet lunch accompanied by local wines - the perfect way to conclude a genuine Burmese culinary experience!

The Blue Taxi Market Tour and cookery demonstration is priced per person including market tour, cookery class and lunch. Nightly rates at The Governor’s Residence are based on two sharing a Deluxe Room with breakfast.

A city famed for its blend of Spanish and Inca cultures, Cuzco in Peru has long been the inspiration for many an artist and chef. Hotel Monasterio is no exception, a former monastery and national monument dating from 1592; the property has recently launched a new art and culinary experience aimed at guests keen to learn more about the hotel’s exquisite art collection and Peru’s gastronomic evolution.

Baroque in style with beautiful gold plated picture frames, Hotel Monasterio features an enviable art collection by some of the very best painters from the CusquenianArtSchool, an artistic tradition that prevailed in the 16th to 18th Centuries. Hotel Monasterio’s tour guide, an expert in religious art and the history of Cuzco, will accompany guests around the hotel explaining the significance behind the many impressive paintings.  Through the tour they will bring to life the history of the property when it was founded as the Seminary of San Antonio Abad.

Following the art tour, a lively talk will ensue on Peru’s culinary journey from the colonial and republic period to the 18th Century. Guests can see how different dishes are created using products that were favoured by the first colonies in Peru. After the demonstration, each guest is given an apron with Hotel Monasterio’s logo and a printed copy of the recipe taught that day.

The Historic Art Tour and Cookery Demonstration costs are based per person. Nightly rates at Hotel Monasterio are based on two sharing a Deluxe King Room with breakfast. 

La Résidence Phou Vao in Luang Prabang, Laos has introduced a novel experience for guests to become absorbed in Laotian life and learn the tools of the rice trade, the chief crop grown in Laos and an important part of the local diet. Guests can now spend a half day with farmers on the nearby Living Land Farm, discovering the 13 stages of rice growing, with the opportunity to take part in the rice harvest itself. LivingLand Farm was established as an organic farm by three Laotians concerned about the overuse of chemicals in agriculture. Here guests will learn first-hand how to till the rice paddies and plant seeds in the fields, before being treated to a rice tasting. Guests will leave with a greatly enhanced knowledge and understanding about the working life of Asian farmers.

The ‘LivingLand’ Organic Rice Farm experience costs are based per person and includes transfers, entrance fees, and a guided tour through the farm. Nightly rates at La Résidence Phou Vao are based on two sharing a Garden View Junior Suite with breakfast.

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