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The rains are gone, the temperature and humidity are dropping to paradise levels and every sunny morning surrounds us with some sort of magic, what is happening?
I am strolling down Olas altas street through lively Café Maximilian; I take a turn and I am walking among colorful cocktails between the terrace and the tables on the sand of restaurant La Palapa on Los Muertos Beach, and it suddenly hits me. Of course! It’s the people enjoying Vallarta restaurants fine dining! And our Gourmet Festival is just around the corner!
I then walk a few steps further and pay a visit to Heinz Reize at his restaurant “Coco Tropical”. Cheerful Heinz, along Thierry Blouet and Roland Menetrey, is one of the organizers of the Festival.
Heinz tells me this is the festival’s 14th consecutive year; to be held from November 13 to 23 and they expect to serve around 22,500 to 23,000 dinners during the Gourmet Festival.
I ask him what new features can we expect from this year’s festival and he excitedly tells me about a surprise venue for the Welcome Gala Dinner; a Gourmet Theater; a Cappuccino & Latte art demonstration; a Spaghettata for the benefit of the poor; among other things, like the pairing of wines with chocolates and a “Cheeses of the World” event.
Let’s go through the day to day program:
The Welcome Gala Dinner on Thursday 13 will not be celebrated at a restaurant or a hotel, but at Casa Mar in Nuevo Vallarta, described as a dream place to delight all guests.
On Friday 14 there will be a Cappuccino & Latte artistic demonstration at Thierry’s Prime Steak House, at Península commercial center.
An unusual pairing of wines with chocolates will be presented to us at 10am on Saturday 15 at Kaiser Maximilian.
The traditional Sunday Gourmet Brunch will this time be served at Villas del Palmar Flamingos from 12 noon to 3pm.
Master Cooking Demonstrations will be held:
Monday 17, All Handicraft Pastas, at Frascati in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
Tuesday 18, Mexico’s Flavors, at Coco Tropical and,
Wednesday 19, Author’s Haute Cuisine, at Thierry Blouet’s Cocina de Autor, by Café des Artistes.
Thursday 20, at 1pm is the time set for the “Cheeses of the World” and wine tasting at Casa Velas Hotel Boutique.
And here is something Heinz carefully highlighted:
Gourmet Theater! Friday 21, eight world-class chefs will perform a culinary demonstration at the open air theater of Los Arcos, by the main square.
Saturday 22, La Spaghettata! Invited chefs will prepare various pasta plates, bruschetta and other specialties at Heinz’s Coco Tropical starting at 1pm.
Sunday all participating restaurants, as they have from Friday 14, will wrap-up with their “Gourmet à la Carte” prepared by their invited chef.
The participating restaurants are: Agave Grill, Café des Artistes del Mar, Cafés des Artistes “Thierry Blouet Cocina de Autor”, Coco Tropical, Daiquiri Dick’s, Frascati, Kaiser Maximilian, La Palapa, La Leche, Le Kliff, Porto Bello, The River Café, Trío and Vista Grill.
The hotel restaurants participating are: Alfredo di Roma at Presidente Intercontinental; Andrea at Velas; Aramara at Four Seasons; Bellavista at Marival; Emiliano at Casa Velas; La Casona at Villa del Palmar Flamingos; Las Casitas at Marriott Casa Magna; Lucca at Grand Velas; Green Break at Grand Mayan, and Portofino at Dreams.
The quality of sponsors has also risen to new levels as well as their origin; they are no longer only coming from Mexico and the Unites States but from Canada, South America and Europe as well.
There is plenty more happening within this year’s Gourmet Festival, you can find further detail on the program and participants at: www.festivalgourmet.com
But don’t miss out on this joyous celebration of good living in Vallarta and the Bahía de Banderas.Email to a friend
See you there !
Eduardo Rincón-Gallardo
E-mail: toureps@prodigy.net.mx
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The rains are gone, the temperature and humidity are dropping to paradise levels and every sunny morning surrounds us with some sort of magic, what is happening?
Let’s go through the day to day program:
And here is something Heinz carefully highlighted:
The hotel restaurants participating are: Alfredo di Roma at Presidente Intercontinental; Andrea at Velas; Aramara at Four Seasons; Bellavista at Marival; Emiliano at Casa Velas; La Casona at Villa del Palmar Flamingos; Las Casitas at Marriott Casa Magna; Lucca at Grand Velas; Green Break at Grand Mayan, and Portofino at Dreams. 