For those who aren’t headed for Europe for the summer, Mexico’s calling! Why not head for the sunny country to enjoy culinary delights from 15 to 17 July at the San Miguel de Allende Food Festival. Baroque Access has all the details
Come July 15, foodies from all over the world will be ready for Mexico’s fabulous food fest, the San Miguel De Allende Food Festival, which is this celebrated colonial town’s largest annual festival. It’s also one of the most popular and exciting culinary events in Mexico, so don’t miss out!
The upcoming 2016 festival is set to be the biggest and most exciting yet, with around 50 international and local chefs attending, as well as musical performances and over 100 exhibitors, including hotels, restaurants, caterers, local food producers, wineries and much more. Every year more than 2,000 people flock to San Miguel to participate in the event, enjoy the entertainment on offer and savor succulent food in a series of culinary and wine tastings that culminate in the main event, the ‘Chef’s Table’.
The festival kicks off on July 14 with a special Kick-off Dinner, a gala gourmet gathering at Hotel Matilda’s Moxi Restaurant. The food will be prepared by two of Mexico’s top chefs, Enrique Olvera, who runs the restaurant, and Matteo Salas, executive chef at the acclaimed restaurant Aperi and Jacinto 1930. After dinner, the hotel will host an ‘Unplugged Concert’ by Los Rumberos de Massachusetts, the popular Mexican trio famous for its flamenco, rumba, reggae and Latin rock sounds.
Festival Timetable:
Friday 15 July – 2pm to 10pm
Saturday 16 July – 12 noon to 7pm
Sunday 17 July – 11am to 7pm
Events include:
Tasting Table: Featiuring fine wines, mescals and beers along with cooking demonstrations and culinary exhibitions.
Chef’s Table: Sample a wide range of gourmet dishes created by Mexican and international chefs. Chefs will be divided into teams to prepare unique recipes for a series of meals. They will also spend time chatting to visitors. The state of Tabasco will bring a special presentation to the Chef’s Table, ‘The Dinner of Eden’, which will feature a bounty of smoked oysters. In addition, top international alcohol brand Monin, famous for beverage mixers, syrups and flavorings, will be serving cocktails at the Chef’s Table.
Chefs in attendance at the Chef’s Table include Moroccan-born Najat Kaanache Amghiraf, one of the leading female chefs in the world, who trained at Ferran Adria’s renowned El Bulli in Spain and then honed her skills at prestigious Noma in Copenhagen, French Laundry in Yountville, California, Per Se in New York City and Alinea in Chicago, working alongside such culinary giants as Rene Redzepi, Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz and Martin Berasetegui. She has taught culinary techniques to chefs around the world, and lectured at major universities and festivals on the science of cooking with White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses.
Concerts:
Friday, 15 July 15, 6pm: Elliot The Furniture, a popular Guadalajara band.
Saturday, 16 July 16, 4pm: Makupa, the innovative Mexican Cello artist.
Saturday, 16 July, 6pm: Los Rumberos de Massachusetts.
Sunday, 17 July 17, 2pm: Guacamole, the Mexican rap band.
Exhibitions at a Colonial Hacienda: More than 100 hotels, restaurants, caterers, artisans, local food producers and wineries will be exhibiting their products and services at the Hacienda los Picachos, a former riding club and colonial hacienda in San Miguel. Don’t miss out!