Imagine if your grocery list was edited to remove foods considered a threat to the balance of nature in your own backyard. That’s the culinary challenge Norman Brandt faces every day as executive chef of the Pikaia Lodge in the Galapagos Islands.
“When I got the position, I made a list of ingredients I needed for the kitchen, and I was told, you can’t bring those in,” Brandt said. No blue cheese, no cherries and no imported citrus, to name just a few of the foods tightly restricted by Ecuador’s biosecurity regulations for the Galapagos. The goal is to prevent the introduction of invasive species that could threaten indigenous plants, many vitally important to the islands’ world famous wildlife.
The Galapagos Islands have become a mecca for ecotourism, attracting more than 250,000 visitors a year who arrive with binoculars and cameras in tow ready to spot giant tortoises, sea turtles, penguins and unique birds, including the blue-footed booby. Rules control the number of people and limit the time spent in wildlife areas, and you must stay at least 6 feet away from the creatures. Birds don’t fly away and baby sea lions hop toward you.
"They thrive because there are no predators here," said Andrew Balfour, general manager of Pikaia Lodge (pikaialodgegalapagos.com), a boutique eco-property where rooms include a copy of "The Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin. Guests drink in the DNA bar and dine in the Evolution dining room.
“The magic of the Galapagos is you see nature in an intimate way and see how the adaptation of the species is crucial from island to island,” Balfour said.
Brandt, from mainland Ecuador, enthusiastically has learned to adapt to his new environment by getting to know local farmers, discovering wild cherry tomatoes and showcasing Galapagos seafood, including tuna, grouper, octopus and spiny lobsters. On the menu is an octopus carpaccio with chimichurri, and local tuna with fried yucca.
Avocado, mango and citrus are grown here, first planted by early settlers. Dairies produce milk, but only fresh cheeses. “So, I’m trying to make my own aged cheese,” Brandt said. He showed me a small wheel of yellow cheese. “I want to wait for two or three months more. It’s an experiment, so we’re all learning about it.”
He makes his own red wine vinegar and ages the local grass-fed beef so it’s more tender.
Traditional tastes of Ecuador at the Pikaia Lodge, including a quinoa risotto and arriba chocolate mousse with passion fruit coulis, add a gourmet touch to Galapagos adventures.
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