One of the Mexico’s longest-running culinary festivals, The Festival Gourmet International, is running from Nov. 19-24, 2019 in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and Tepic and is ready for the participants and foodies. This culinary festival is one of the most important of its type in Mexico as it generates more than $600,000 in restaurant and event participation.
The brainchild of renowned European chefs Thierry Blouet and Heinz Reize, first FGI was held in 1995. Five years later, they were joined by another great chef, Roland Menetrey. The trio has gained fame as Puerto Vallarta’s “culinary Three Musketeers.” Puerto Vallarta which is home to one of the country’s top gastronomic scenes is the best venue for this renowned festival. The city boasts almost 350 food establishments, ranging from typical street food stands run by families who have sold tacos and ceviches for generations to Five Star Diamond Award restaurants offering the latest in international dishes thus it is truly a food destination.
Javier Aranda, Director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, has said that the Festival Gourmet International is a great example of how the city’s natural beauty and source of fresh ingredients can inspire chefs from Mexico and around the world to create an exciting amalgam of flavors that blend traditional Mexican ingredients with contemporary tastes from across the globe.
The host restaurants for the FGI include Azafrán Restaurante Bar, Barrio Bistro, Café Des Artistes, Coco Tropical, El Dorado, Emiliano, Hector’s Kitchen, Icú, Kaiser Maximilian, La Terraza Di Roma, La Palapa, Le Kliff, LOMA42, River Café, Stars, Trío, Tuna Blanca, Xiklo, Andrea, Azur, Bordeaux, Divum, Eugenia, Las Casitas, La Casona, La Corona, LUCCA, Mozzamare and Tukipa.