The Hotel Platinum Yucatan Princess hosts the First Gastronomic Championship of the Riviera Maya. The hotel dressed up on December 10 and 11 for the championship, in which 8 teams of chefs presented their best dishes. The goal was to impress a high-profile jury and thus win the coveted first place. The days were marked by the Championship and the participation of gastronomic suppliers stands. They presented interesting proposals of products and services for the gastronomic professionals. The whole event was enlivened with presentations from great professionals in their different areas to help make this an unforgettable event!

Development of the Gastronomic Championship of the Riviera Maya

We enjoyed the exhibition of Master Chocolatier of French origin Dominique Le Marrec. He dazzled with his ability to make complex figures with chocolate. We could see live how he shaped a hummingbird and some flowers, with an exclusive ability and skill.

Then came the turn of Chef René Angón from México, who made a demonstration of molecular haute cuisine. He prepared his dish using molecular cooking techniques, which have led him to be a point of reference in Puebla (Mexico), his hometown.

December 11, 2018, second day

Chef René Angón inaugurated the day with “Mexico lindo y sabroso”. A conference in which he reviewed the extensive Mexican cuisine. The Sommelier Israel Diaz made a pleasant talk about the wine. He shared his experiences and invited attendees to share the wine culture.

Finally, we had the participation of our funny mixologist Abner Juárez who entertained and interacted with the audience. He surprised the attendees by elaborating 4 drinks of his own inspiration, which highlighted Mexican ingredients such as coffee and chili.

The winners of the Gastronomic Championship of the Riviera Maya

After a fairly close competition between the 8 teams, the winners were the following:

1. Rubén Hernández and Cristian Leiva representing Paradisus Meliá
2. Susana López and Zitlali Hernández representing Vidanta Cirque du Soleil
3. Miguel Castillo Poot and Aureliano Caamal representing Platinum Yucatan Princess.

Among the prizes awarded, the highlights were stays in hotels, dinners in gourmet restaurants and baskets with select products.

Then, our Executive Chef Agustín Puc, offered a cocktail party that took place in the Skylights restaurant that specializes in haute cuisine. The closing ceremony of all the activities of this great event was also celebrated here. (See here the gastronomic experiences of the Skylights Restaurant).

The dynamics of the Gastronomic Championship of the Riviera Maya

The biggest obstacle for the participating teams was that they had nothing prepared. In less than two hours they would have to present 3 plates to the judges: starter, main course and dessert, who then had to choose the best team.

At the beginning of the day, they were provided with a basket with the ingredients they had to use. With them, they elaborated their recipes and prepared their creations. This implies a high degree of experience on the part of the participating chefs. During the cooking sessions, they had to figure out how to work with the time and ingredients provided. Original techniques were observed in the cooking and presentation of the dishes.

For a better organization only 4 of the 8 teams competed per day. This way, we could enjoy two days of incredible competitions, full of enthusiasm and a lot of camaraderie!

All with the best ingredients

The ingredients were delivered to the organizing committee, by the sponsors and suppliers of the event. The selection criteria was its high quality, and to have the best ingredients for the preparation of the dishes. More than 25 suppliers were responsible for giving the participants with the best national and international ingredients. They had ingredients as complex as:

• The Lion fish
• The Totoaba fish
• The Habanero chile
• The Yuca
• The Achiote
• The Salt of Celestún
• The Banana leaves
• and many more

Luxury judges for the First Gastronomic Championship of the Riviera Maya

And like any good competition, it’s not complete without a specialized jury! This was no exception, we had the opportunity to have four of the best chefs in the region:

• Chef Eva Millán: Second place winner of the renowned Masterchef television program in Spain
• Chef Repostero Fidel Baeza: pastry chef with a great career who currently works for a major hotel chain.
• Chef Alejandro Sánchez: Owner of one of the best restaurants in Almería (Spain) with 1 Michelin star
• Chef Max Sola: executive chef of Passion Restaurant by Martin Berasategui, one of the most exclusive restaurants in Playa del Carmen.

They were in charge of deciding the winning team, based on a strict criteria. We could also enjoy the personalities of each one, since they stayed with the assistants, chefs and other staff present, for the duration of the Championship. Without a doubt, they gave a sample on why they are considered leaders in their gastronomic areas, without forgetting the good humor that characterizes all of them.

Categories: Caribbean, Gastronomy, Lifestyle, Meetings and Events, Riviera Maya