Chef Lorna Muñoz Arias serves authentic Chilean food - Chilota - from her restaurant Travesía in Castro on Chiloé island, in Chile’s spectacular Lake District. But her conscientious approach to the origin and authenticity of each dish marks Travesía out from other local restaurants. She worked with historian Renato Cárdenas Álvarez, who died in 2022, to research the dishes, and they share the cuisine in their cookbook. Book one of the few tables in the simple yellow building - where Muñoz Arias grew up - to try her hake ceviche in clam sauce, oysters with seaweed, braised octopus with chapaleles (potato dumplings) in olive sauce, eel cheek gratin, and smoked pork. For dessert, there’s passion fruit semifreddo and raspberry tart.

Chef Shuji Niitome is considered Japan’s top tempura master, and has elevated his art to a level of indisputable genius, reinventing tempura while remaining true to its origin. His secret? Hakurikiko flour, preserved at -60°C for three days. He starts with a mixture of water and eggs, which he whips. This is placed over an ice bath, into this he sifts cold flour, and briefly whips the two together. Instead of dredging the food first with rice flour or cornstarch, everything is dipped directly into the dough. The result is incomparable. PS. Don't try this at home, a normal fridge doesn't go below -20°.

Cult Montreal restaurant Au Pied de Cochon’s country cousin the Sugar Shack - Cabane à Sucre au Pied de Cochon - is located in prime maple syrup territory St Benoît de Mirabel, 55km outside Montreal. Chef Martin Picard is known for indulgence and gluttony - he fed Anthony Bourdain a stream of foie gras dishes at one meal - but also for promoting traditional Québecois cuisine, and this is his way of preserving the cabane à sucre tradition for generations to come. The sugar shack tradition has families tapping syrup together then cooking and eating with it, and Picard serves maple pig’s head, braided merguez tagine, duck fat pancakes, and maple condensed milk. The cabin is so popular it has even spawned its own sibling, the Shack Next Door (La Cabane d’à Côté).

Husband-and-wife team Roxane and Jean Sévègnes run this bijou bistro together, bringing traditional French cuisine to a modern audience - weekdays only so the tiny team (just the two of them) can enjoy some time off together! Chef Jean has worked at Bernard Pacaud's Ambroisie and Alain Ducasse, among many respected names, and in Café des Ministères he truly fulfils the promise of his impressive CV. Go for the Gascony pork and chicken liver terrine, Drôme snails, Normandy scallops, calf’s head, tripe, and their famous vol au vent ‘Grande Tradition’. This is the place to eat true French food without breaking the bank.