Why I’m Going Back to Peru

Cooking duck for the first time (2007)

[E]arlier this year, I wrote about when dreams become reality, and how I've suddenly found myself without a new one to pursue.

Since then, I've been giving it a lot of thought, and realized that after successfully reaching my travel goals, maybe it's time to set my sights on a different hobby — cooking.

Smoked Duck Breast with Orange Ancho Chile Sauce

The truth is I don't cook much now that I'm always traveling, but I use to love it when I was back in the United States.

I could easily spend a whole day shopping, preparing, and then cooking a complicated recipe from the pages of Gourmet magazine.

Sometimes a photo alone would be all the inspiration I needed. Or an episode of No Reservations.

Le Cordon Bleu in Lima, Peru

So with these thoughts in mind, I'm applying for admission to Le Cordon Bleu at their Lima, Peru campus. Located in Miraflores, it's a short walk from the apartment I was renting, as well as the beach.

Le Cordon Bleu is a well-regarded culinary school, with a long history of teaching young cooks. Famous alumni chefs include Julia Child, Giada De Laurentiis, and Peru's own Gaston Acurio.

It's not a decision I'm taking lightly. I'll have to pay my way through 3 years of courses to earn my diploma in Gastronomy & the Culinary Arts, but I'm up for the challenge.

Aside from the obvious benefit of developing a skill I can continue to use the rest of my life, it also opens up the opportunity for me to find work as a cook during my travels.

And who knows where that road could lead.

Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.