In recent years, Yucatecan gastronomy has gained international relevance thanks to its ambassadors, ingredients, and techniques, the product of the cultural fusion between the Maya People, Spaniards, and Lebanese. 2022 was declared the “Year of Yucatecan gastronomy”, for which various activities were carried out around it in different parts of the world, bringing the benefits of this cuisine to the most exquisite gourmets and professionals.
On this occasion, Yucatecan gastronomy arrived in Saudi Arabia represented by Chef Wilson Alonzo, originally from Halachó, Yucatán, researcher of traditional Yucatecan cuisine and academic at the Universidad Tecnológica del Poniente, who also received the award for Best Local Chef in 2023 at the Best Chef Awards, bringing traditional Yucatecan cuisine to the world, with respect for traditions and pride in its identity and culture.
As a chef, Wilson Alonzo has defended the importance of preserving the archaeological, anthropological, and historical backgrounds of traditional Yucatecan gastronomy, bringing diners authentic cuisine that respects the ancient culture that surrounds it. Without a doubt, these principles have made this chef become one of the greatest ambassadors of Yucatan to the world through its flavors.
Yucatecan chef stands out at the Saudi Arabia International Festival
Recently, Chef Alonzo was present in Buraydah, also known as the “City of Gastronomy”, which recently celebrated the date harvest and its famous “Buraydah International Date Festival”, considered the largest in Saudi Arabia and the world.
Wilson Alonso’s intervention was during the “Gastronomy Forum” organized by the committee of this festival in conjunction with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (RCCU), which received representatives of 23 Creative Cities from Colombia, Arabia, Bolivia, Brazil, USA, Philippines, Turkey, Cameroon, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Japan, China and Benin and Merida as the only representative of Mexico, who exchanged knowledge and culture through gastronomy.
It should be noted that 750 people were able to enjoy a menu that featured cheese stuffed with beef, lamb pipián, and the poor knight, respectfully adapting the ancestral recipes and techniques of Yucatan with the customs and traditions of the host country; To make this intervention possible, it was necessary to bring more than 35 kilograms of ingredients from Yucatan, including queso bola, ground pepita, Recado Rojo, endemic epazote leaves, nixtamalized corn flour and other processed spices, as well as jícaras, lecs (tortilleros) and dried corn leaves, to name a few.
Undoubtedly, Yucatan is currently a global trend thanks to its flavors, thus consolidating itself as one of the gastronomic epicenters of the world.
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