Creativity, seasoning and flavor were present in the third edition of the Gastronomic Interpretation Contest, at the Mérida Fest 2024.
Seven teams responded to the call, which was organized by the Mérida City Council, through the Directorate of Culture in conjunction with the Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Foods Industry (Canirac) Yucatán Delegation.
The facilities of the ISIMA Institute of Higher Studies were the headquarters of the contest, which began shortly after 8 in the morning. Each team presented two dishes to choose from, from a starter, main course, or dessert, with corn and chilies as main ingredients, characteristic elements of the Yucatecan cuisine.
The first place was occupied by the team “Los Hermanos Maya” made up of Reynaldo and Ángeles Puc Chi with the stews “Ofrenda Maya” (octopus in black message with huitlacoche) and “Tesoro Maya” (cake filled with corn pastry with eggnog and mouse of yellow corn).
Second place was the “Apoala” team, in which Adrián Pat Pat and Gladys Bermejo Tun presented “Robalo a la tikinxik” and for dessert “Pibinal tres leches.”
The jury, made up of chefs Jean Philippe and Edwin Chulim, awarded two honorable mentions: to Guadalupe Roca Gómez “Lupita”, for her dishes “Pan de espelón” and “Pan de elote con crema de maiz”.
Also to the Cintéotl team, made up of Sergio Flores Álvarez, Laura Chan Poot and Jesica Díaz Jiménez, who presented the entry “Crema Cintéotl” and the “Tamal de but chin”.
The other dishes that were presented in the competition were: Tacos Cantineros and Corn from Mercado de Mérida (Tradiciones team), Milanesa with white wine and Dulce Picante (Las Diosas del Sazón team), and Pickled tamale and xcatic delicacy (Andrea team).
The award ceremony was attended by Claudia González Góngora, president of the Canirac Delegation Yucatán, who highlighted the importance of promoting gastronomic traditions and that traditional flavors continue to be preserved. She also recalled that Mérida is a creative gastronomic city that finds one of its attractions in cooking, with its smells and flavors.
Paola Guzmán Argáez, deputy director of Cultural Innovation, who assisted in Antrop performances. Irving Berlin Villafaña, Director of Culture, thanked the competitors for their participation and the interest of the new generations and fans of traditional cuisine for sharing their talent, seasoning and creativity to spread the local gastronomic wealth.
First and second-place winners received incentives of $15,000 and $10,000 pesos, respectively. Likewise, Sal Sol gave all the teams a kit of products from the same company.
TYT Newsroom
