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The Alchemist of the Andes: The Pioneering Peru’s Cannabis Cuisine

The Alchemist of the Andes: The Pioneering Peru’s Cannabis Cuisine


In a country celebrated as the gastronomic capital of the world, where culinary innovation is a national point of pride, one man is asking, “What’s next?” Meet Juan Diego Vargas, a classically trained gastronome, master bartender, and the visionary founder of Got Plant Peru. His mission is to fuse the worlds of high-end cuisine and craft cannabis, introducing a new, sophisticated dimension to the Peruvian palate.

The Alchemist of the Andes: The Pioneering Peru’s Cannabis Cuisine

Juan’s work is about traceability, precise dosing, and treating the cannabis plant with the same reverence as a rare truffle or a single-origin coffee bean, it’s not your cousin jake’s happy brownies. A journey that has taken Vargas from military school to the world’s most exclusive restaurant groups, and now, to the forefront of a green revolution.

An Unconventional Path to the Kitchen

Juan Diego’s story is anything but linear. His life-altering introduction to cannabis came at the early age of 13, not as a form of rebellion, but as an entry into a community built around sharing ideas over board games. “My life changed completely, 180 degrees,” he recalls. “What impressed me most was really listening to people, to their conversations.”

Despite this early discovery, he pursued a highly disciplined path, attending military school and even becoming a licensed pilot. Yet, the world of hospitality called to him. The spark ignited while washing glasses in a corner bar in Miami Beach. “The bartenders struck me,” he says. “How did they know so much, do everything, and receive that instant feedback. It was impactful.”

That spark led him through a rigorous education in the service industry, from becoming a Coffee Master at Starbucks to mastering flair bartending at TGI Fridays, where a team of mentors truly “injected hospitality” into his veins.

Forging a Gastronome at the Highest Level

Vargas’s career reached its zenith during his decade-long tenure as the Creative Director for the internationally acclaimed MCK Group, the powerhouse behind the Osaka restaurants. He was was an architect of experience, opening new locations on different countries, it was not only being a mixologist.

His role evolved into that of a “gastronomic coach,” developing entire teams, from bartenders to back-of-house staff. He formalized his expertise, becoming a sommelier, a cheese specialist, and an expert in olive oils. This deep, holistic understanding of flavor, process, and people management became the bedrock for his next venture. “My personal mission,” he explains, “was to help bartenders find their true calling, even if it wasn’t in that specific restaurant.”

The Green Revolution: Got Plant Peru

Throughout his travels and culinary explorations, cannabis remained a constant passion. Vargas saw a profound disconnect. In a country with immense agricultural potential, the local cannabis was of notoriously poor quality. He compares it to the world of specialty coffee: many people see a bean as just a bean, ignoring the craft that creates a premium product. “My father would say, ‘Son, just add water and sun,’” he laughs. “He saw a $1,000 flower and a $1 flower as the same thing.”

This mentality was what Vargas was determined to change. In 2017, as Peru began to formalize its medicinal cannabis laws, Got Plant Peru was born. His vision was clear: to cultivate cannabis with the meticulousness of a Michelin-starred chef.

“We don’t just feed our plants; we cook for them,” he states passionately. Vargas and his team have developed a unique cultivation method they call Peruvian-Korean Natural Farming (KNF). They create their own biological inputs through fermentations, decoctions, and dehydrations, running a “restaurant for plants.” This allows them to control every variable, ensuring a product of unparalleled gastronomic and medicinal quality.

The Science of Sensation: From Dosing to Dining

With lab-tested, genetically preserved strains, Juan Diego can achieve what was previously impossible in this space: perfect, repeatable dosing. He knows the exact cannabinoid and terpene profile of every flower.

“I can tell you that for every 10 kilograms of your body weight, one drop of this tincture will give you a correct dose,” he explains. This precision is the key to unlocking the plant’s culinary potential safely and effectively.

Got Plant Peru operates as a bridge for the culinary world. Instead of chefs having to navigate the complex process of infusion themselves, Vargas’s team provides ready-to-use, perfectly dosed ingredients.

  • Need a cannabis-infused butter for a delicate sauce? They can create one that is crystal clear or vibrant green, with the exact potency required.
  • A patient’s grandmother loves chocolate. They can design bonbons that deliver her exact medicinal dose in two pieces a day.
  • Does an athlete need a recovery drink? They can formulate a beverage tailored to their post-workout needs.

Working strictly within Peru’s medicinal cannabis framework, every product is developed for a registered patient-member under a doctor’s prescription. It’s a model that ensures legitimacy and safety.

The Future of Peruvian Flavor

Vargas’s pitch to the Peruvian government was a powerful call to action. “Peru is the gastronomic capital of the world,” he argued. “If we don’t lead the way with the highest quality cannabis, we will miss the opportunity that Europe, Thailand, and the United States are already seizing.”

The message was heard. Got Plant Peru is the beginning of a movement. It’s a platform to empower chefs, bartenders, and gastronomes to explore a new frontier of flavor, aroma, and sensation, solidifying Peru’s status as a true global leader in culinary innovation. The future of fine dining may be a little bit greener.

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