20th
Festival Gourmet International
20th
Festival Gourmet International held in Puerto Vallarta
from November 13-23 began with a stunning outdoor food and wine
gathering at the Westin Hotel & Spa Resort. The venue was
over flowing with talented local and visiting international
chefs, as well as enthusiastic 'foodies' who thoroughly appreciated
the divine food and wine being presented. The magic of the evening
tasting was enhanced with performances by talented local musicians,
and the grand award presentation ceremony honoring the chefs.
Chefs' Reize, Blouet and Menetrey present award to Chef Gerard
Dupont
The
"three musketeers" who coordinate this amazing event,
Chefs' Thierry Blouet, Heinz Reize and Roland Menetrey, were
all on hand to greet guests and present awards, including one
award presented to annual guest chef Gerard Dupont, President
of the Culinary Academy of France. The ten day festival was
originally created to enrich the profile of Puerto Vallarta's
gastronomic scene locally and internationally, and in the past
nineteen years, it has more than exceeded in accomplishing this
goal.
Participating
chefs creating gourmet dishes at local restaurants included
Guy Santori, France; Orlando Maria Hugli, Switzerland; Ben Cotrell,
US; Chris Bradley, US; Davide Marchetti & Giuseppe Angeloni,
Italy; Ryan Steyn, South Aftica; Vicente Torres, Spain; Dominik
Enderle, Germany; Cheryl Rosario & Sarbhal Da Silva, India;
Pato Persuo & Marcas Gabrul Fulcheri, Argentina; Kristopher
Andersson, Sweden; Pedro Martin, Canary Islands. Mexican Chefs
included Jose Fernando Perez, Juan Carlos Chavez, Mario Blanco,
Carlos Gaytan, Sebastian Hamdan, David Cetina, M. Miguel Quezada,
Giovanni Romero, Jose Ivan Lodera, Jesus Gibaja, Maria Teresa
Alanis, Thomas Bermudez, Angel Carbajal, Mico Mejia, and Edgar
Nunez. I especially enjoyed meeting the visiting chef from Zurich
Switzerland, Orlando Maria Hugli, who worked at world-class
hotels in Switzerland and the 18 Gault-Milau/one Michelin Star
Restaurant Zirbelstube in Stuttgart. Currently he is completing
his BS in Food Technology at the University of Zurich. Hugli
was serving original Swiss inspired recipes at Coco Tropical
Restaurant & Beach Club during the festival.
Participating Chefs Receive Awards
"We
are very happy to have these talented visiting chefs participating
in our Puerto Vallarta restaurants during our 20th anniversary
festival celebration. Guests have shared with me their pleasure
with hotel accommodations and the wonderful festival events
included in this years program," said Chef Thierry Blouet,
Gourmet Festival Committee and chef/owner Cafe des Artistes.
The
29 restaurants participating included Andrea Gourmet, Arrecifes,
Boca Dosstk, Bordeaux, Cafe des Artistes, Coco Tropical, El
Quincho, Emiliano, Frida, Green Bistro, Kaiser Maxmilian, La
Casona, La Catrina, La Corona, La Leche, La Palapa, La Patrona,
Las Gasitas, Las Pampas, Michel's, Nicksan,
Journalist Bonnie Carroll with Swiss Chef Orlando Maria Hugli
Porto
Bello, Punta Arena, Sanzibar, Sea Breeze, The River Cafe, TRIO,
Imanta, and Tuna Blanca. Wine and beverage sponsors included
Monte Xanic, VINOS Wagner, Ferrer-LCM, Venos Americas, Vinoteca,
Moet & Chandon, Patron Tequila, Minerva, Lavazza Coffee,
Rougie and S. Pellegrino Water.
Congratulations
to Puerto Vallarta and the Puerto Vallarta Tourism &
Convention Board, the talented organizers, sponsors
and chef participants for yet another fantastic and delicious
gourmet experience. For details and updates on the 2014 event
please visit: www.festivalgourmet.com.
Bonnie Carroll
www.lifebitesnews.com