Riviera Nayarit to Host XV Festival Gourmet International
Mexico’s newest destination, Riviera Nayarit, and its neighbor Puerto Vallartawill host the annual Festival Gourmet International from Nov. 12 to 22, 2009. Featuring the region’s most acclaimed restaurants (26 in total this year); guests will have the opportunity to sample special menus celebrating the Festival Gourmet International, available at these establishments daily.
Celebrating its 15th year this year, the Festival Gourmet International will also offer access to exclusive chef’s tables at participating restaurants, wine and cheese events, food demonstrations, tequila tastings and gala dinners featuring the best of the Pacific Coast’s gourmet cuisine. Guest chefs from all over the world are also invited to participate and share their signature dishes at participating restaurants during the ten days of the Festival.
Celebrity Chef Thierry Blouet - Cinco Hotel in Punta de Mita features the best new along the Riviera Nayarit
This year’s participating restaurants in Riviera Nayarit include, but are not limited to, Frascatti in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle; Nuevo Vallarta; Gong at the Grand Mayan Resort, Nuevo Vallarta; Bellavista at the Marival Resorts & Suites; and, the newest additions, Café de Artistes del Mar at the Cinco Hotel; La Casona at the Hotel Villa La Estancia.
Festival Gourmet International’s event highlights include: Gran Gala Lounge Party, Nov. 12 — the opening ceremony for the Festival Gourmet International takes place this year at Casa Velas Hotel Boutique Puerto Vallarta; Gourmet Cooking Demonstration, Nov. 16 to 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Thierry Blouet’s Cocina de Autor at Café des Artistes del Mar demonstrates classic French cuisine; Cheeses of the World Tasting, Nov. 20 — at the Casa Velas Hotel Boutique in Marina Vallarta; and Winemaker’s Night, Nov. 21 — signature dishes of several participating restaurants for an extraordinary fixed price.
The festival was founded by chefs Thierry Blouet of Café des Artistes, Heinz Reize of Hotel Krystal and Silvan Müller of Nestlé Mexico. The 10-day festival was conceived to enrich the profile of Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta‘s gastronomic scene locally and internationally.
In the past the festival has attracted over 250 chefs and top names such as chef Gerald Dupont, chef president of the Academie Culinaire de France; three-star Michelin chef Anton Mosimann from London; Thomas Salamunovich, chef and owner of Larkspur in Vail; and Patricia Quintana, the “first lady” of Mexican cuisine. For more information on the Festival Gourmet International, visitwww.FestivalGourmet.com . For destination information, visitwww.RivieraNayarit.com.
