Excursion S.a.l.t. foraging and feasting on the central chilean coast tour at Valparaiso

The coast of central Chile is known for its fish filled seas, botanically rich shores, and access to fine wines. Centered by the bustling port city of Valparaíso, quiet fishing villages and beach communities string out along the coast to the north and south, offering dramatic, contrasting landscapes. This tour brings guests up close and personal to the source to learn about some of the region’s most fascinating ingredients with a renowned chef and forager, followed by an elaborate meal that highlights the best of what the Chilean coast has to offer.

Islan Negra, Foraging

Spend about 45-minutes driving south from the port of Valparaíso to Isla Negra, a quiet coastal area where we will meet chef and forager Gustavo Moreno. Gustavo is the chef of the Mareal restaurant in Pichilemu further south and he will lead a hiking tour of the rugged, boulder filled shores that are blanketed with vegetation that change by the micro-season to gather the abundant edible plants like succulents and flowers, as well as seaweeds that grow amidst the rocks and wash up along the sand.

Isla Negra is quiet, seaside community that is home to one of the residences of Nobel Prize winning poet Pablo Neruda. Its wild, pristine beaches have become a favorite destination for Chile’s top chefs and foragers to gather ingredients.

La Caperucita y el Lobo, Tasting Menu

Afterward, drive back to Cerro Florida in Valparaiso to La Caperucita y el Lobo (The Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf), a hillside restaurant in a quirky, 1954 house that overlooks the city’s harbor. Taste Chef Leo de la Iglesia’s 7-course menu, including local delicacies like locos (Chilean abalone) and conger eel alongside many of the ingredients you foraged for, paired with fine local wines.

Valparaíso is Chile’s largest Pacific port and its steep hillsides lined with colorful wooden buildings and graffiti covered neighborhoods reached by historic funiculars have made it a favorite destination for travelers. Its culinary scene varies from historic taverns frequented by older residents to modern fine dining restaurants and progressive cafés and cocktail dens.

Chef Gustavo Moreno

Gustavo Moreno is an expert forager that often can be found gathering wild ingredients from the coast of Central Chile. He is the chef and owner of the restaurant Mareal in Pichilemu.

Chef Leonardo de la Iglesia

Leonardo de la Iglesia opened La Caperucita y el Lobo 2013 inside of a fairy-tale-like, 1920s house of his pastry chef wife’s grandmother after working in restaurants around Chile, Ireland and Canada.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Isla Negra, Foraging, La Caperucita y el Lobo, Tasting Menu

Note

Please note: This S.A.L.T. tour involves a moderate amount of walking, at times over uneven and natural surfaces, with a few steps to negotiate to get on/off the coach. This tour is not suitable for guests with food allergies, guests with limited mobility, and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear lightweight, comfortable clothing with flat, closed-toe walking shoes for hiking and bring sun protection, a sweater or light jacket, bottled water, and local currency or credit cards for purchases from the ship. Guests must be at least 18 years old to be served alcoholic beverages. The menu served on this tour changes daily. Special dietary requests cannot be accommodated. Space on this tour is extremely limited; we suggest you book well in advance to avoid disappointment. Booking and cancellation deadline for this tour is 15 days prior the call.