Mexico City Hosts Second Annual Mesamerica Event with Leading Chefs & Restaurateurs from Around the Globe

MEXICO CITY, June 20, 2013

Master culinary icons from around the globe came together in Mexico City from May 20 to 22 for the second annual Mesamerica Congress. The three day affair, which took place at the Blackberry Auditorium in Mexico City, provided a venue were culinary powerhouses could share their passion for the profession through cooking demonstrations and activities, gastronomy seminars and passionate speeches.

Mesamerica is one of the few events in the world that unites these highly respected individuals who are building the history of contemporary cuisine. Among the renowned participants in attendance were those on the most recent San Pellegrino List of the Best Restaurants in the World including Jordi Roca (Spain), Rene Redzepi (Denmark), Massimo Bottura (Italy), Andoni Luis Aduriz (Spain), Daniel Humm (United States) and Alex Atala (Brazil). Other big players in attendance included Eneko Atxa (Spain), Gastón Acurio y Virgilio Martínez (Perú), David Kinch (United States) and Carlos García (Venezuela). The best from Mexico were also in attendance, among them Mario Espinosa, Diego Hernandez-Baquedano, Antonio de Livier, Edgar Nunez, Elena Reygadas, Jorge Vallejo and Aquiles Chavez.

Over the three days, the attendees demonstrated the power of gastronomy. Among the topics discussed with the audience, which included students and the media, was Mexican cuisine, gastronomy as an art form, the rise of Latin American cuisine, the next generation of chefs, as well as how each culinary icon was contributing to contemporary cuisine.

One of the most memorable speeches given was by Andoni Aduriz, chef of Spain's famed Mugaritz, where he engaged the audience by asking volunteers to try "grapes" which were in fact his restaurant's macaron de caza. When volunteers could not identify anything other than the foie gras ganache for the "grapes," Aduriz revealed that they were actually made of pork blood.

Mexico City continues to establish itself as an eclectic culinary destination that boasts delectable experiences ranging from the most sophisticated restaurants in the world to highly celebrated street food. In 2010, UNESCO declared Mexican food as an intangible heritage of humanity.

Mesamaerica will take place once again on May 19 - 21, 2014. Next year's theme will be street food.

Event images: Click to Retrieve File(s)

About Mexico City
With more than 12.5 million visitors every year, Mexico City is an alluring destination filled with exciting revelations for travelers. The ever-evolving city, among the largest in the world, showcases a colorful display of a rich past seamlessly integrated into a modern metropolis. Among its many attractions include four UNESCO World Heritage sites, more than 150 museums and galleries, charming neighborhoods, colorful street markets and bazaars, celebrated culinary venues, a wide-range of hotels & spas, a lively night scene, state-of-the-art meeting venues, and so much more. With its many attractions and year-round calendar of events, Mexico City can be enjoyed by all ages from corporate travelers to leisure guests, families, couples and the LGBT community. Mexico City's tourism industry is enhanced with the support of the Mexico City Tourism Promotion Fund (Fondo Mixto de Promoción Turística del Distrito Federal).