MIL - Food Lab and Interpretation Center

What a unique and memorable experience at Mil. We were welcomed with a quick tour and introduction of the regional ingredients that will be used in the course. The food was introduced using different postcards from the Andes region. I really enjoyed the non-alcoholic pairing. The view was mindblowing!

Food and experience was similar to other reviews but we got intense food poisoning after eating here. My husband threw up by the 7th course and we proceeded to have terrible symptoms for the next day, we didn’t eat anywhere else. Wouldn’t recommend.

Once in a while you have a food/restaurant experience that comes as a surprise and exceeds all expectations. Such was my experience when a friend and I visited Peru in 2018. We failed to secure reservations at Virgilio Martinez’s restaurant Central in Lima, Peru, which had a waiting list of over six months. We opted instead to reserve a spot at his newest location in the Sacred Valley, Moray, Cusco, Peru. — MIL. We knew the meal would be special. We had no idea it would be life changing. It is the meal that I rate all other high end food experiences against. So far none have met the mark. First, getting there is not for the faint of heart. MIL is located in one of the highest elevations in Peru at 3.33 miles above sea level. It’s about a 90 minute drive from Lima, the last mile or so on one way roads, straight up. But it was worth the heart palpitations. The dinner was 14 courses and service lasted near 4 hours. What made the meal so special is that almost everything we ate was new foods to us, indigenous to the region and unique to the eight elevations highlighted in our dining experience. If you want to see the exact experience we had at MIL, you should look for the video about the restaurant from Fufski on YouTube, a food blogger in China. Netflix also is streaming a video about the creative genius of the chef by the same name Virgilio. Acquaint yourself with the man and his muse. The dining experience is not reachable for everyone’s budget. But, if it is within yours, put this one on your bucket list.

This was an experience which we treated ourselves to as it was our honeymoon. Undoubtedly the most expensive meal we’ve eaten but worth every penny. Unfortunately we couldn’t do the full experience as there wasn’t availability on the day that we went, but it was an experience anyway! Service The service was wonderful and the staff described the dishes passionately and in great detail in both English and Spanish. The meal moved at a good pace and there were no awkward gaps between courses, equally, we didn’t feel rushed. My husband went to the toilet multiple times during the meal due to his weak bladder but the staff timed our meal around this, they also rearranged his napkin each time he went. Location The restaurant is in the most incredible location. The views are spectacular, we would recommend hiring a taxi for the day - our driver took us to other sights nearby and it ended up being a delightful journey to and from Cusco. Warn your driver, the meal is 3h long. As you enter the building you are immediately enveloped in a world gastronomic experimentation. The diversity of plants and flowers so well displayed with tasteful and beautiful decor. The courtyard is not only nice to look at, but adds to the feeling of total immersion. The rooms are small and intimate and allow guests to feel they are the upmost priority of the staff. Every detail of the building is perfect down to the thatched roof, antiquated walls and Incan decor. The staff took the time do explain each element of the design to us which added to our experience of the environment. One criticism would be that our chairs were quite far apart as the tables are large - easily resolved by shuffling our chairs closer. Food We have eaten in a few well renowned restaurants and there have always been one or two courses we didn’t like. This was not the case at Mil. Every course was delicious and well thought out. We were told the story of ancient Incan agriculture, with each ingredient at the centre, through delicious and beautiful courses. The colours and textures in each course married perfectly and made us see simple, underrated ingredients in a new light. It was a great way to learn about ancient local traditions and culture and to be fully immersed in it. The meal connected us to the Incan agricultural scientists of Moray experimenting with different textures, varieties and combinations of the ingredients found in this harsh climate. It was easily the best meal we’ve ever had and we would honestly return to Cusco just to come back! Thank you for teaching us, and sharing your experiments and your passion with us!!

5 stars from start to finish. We arrived at 9:30 am and walked through the area with one of the local farmers who explained the usage of the different plants both from a medical viewpoint and how they each of them are used in different dishes and drinks. We got to taste all plants and flowers which were part of the walk. This for us was one of the highlights of the day. You get a beautiful view of Moray during the tour. With a change to take great pictures. Afterwards we got to enjoy 3 creative cocktails. Flavors and smells that we did not have a vocabulary to describe but it was an incredible experience to explore the flavors of the local roots, herbs and fruits. The lunch menu was divided into 8 courses. We went with the drink paring, which I highly recommend. The portions of each drink is perfect for one meal. They are creative and fit well to the flavors of the food. Everything were presented beautifully and each bite was a new experience. The building is tastefully designed. You get to explore the drying, fermentation and pickling stations. Everything is made with local ingredients. The staff is highly engaged in their job and provided great service. Go for the full experience if you decide to go. It’s totally worth it. I know it a lot of money, but you don’t just pay for the food, you contribute to the local community. Highly recommend! Thank you for an incredible day to remember.

Good place for once in a lifetime experience. Favs included the lamb and alpaca, native potatoes and corn were underwhelming especially if you take into account the cost of the whole meal. Wine and Oaxalis were amazing. My main pet peeve: waiters hurrying you to finish your meal, honestly if I’m paying what I’m paying, if I’m going all the way to the valley for a meal, if the meal consists of X number of step, the least servers could do is allow you to take your time and relax. i found their hovering to take plates, annoying.

This was my first fine dining experience and being a vegetarian, I was wary of it was going to turn out. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. This has to be one of the better meals I have ever had in my life. The engineering that had gone to create the dishes were out of the world. I went for the thousand world vegetarian gastronomic experience. The food is subtle yet has burst of flavours and is well presented as well. We also tried their cocktails which they had made with their own infusions. A must visit and chef virgilio has created a gem of a place. The staff was extremely courteous as well. A must visit.

A wonderful and magical experience! If you come here you should absolutely do the full immersion and not just the menu. The food is fantastic and I enjoyed the taste of every dish and drink, which were so skillfully created. But it is the immersion that ads so many layers and knowledge that only then you really gain the full appreciation of what MIL and the food is about. I had a big grin on my face from the beginning to the end. And a big thank you to the amazing team!