Hospitality, good music, flavorings, and gastronomy defined the first edition of Sabor a Tijuana, where 25 international chefs participated and shared their knowledge and culture through their dishes.
“Tijuana tastes like the arms of a mother who extends them to everyone who comes here so that they can do well,” said Miguel Ángel Badiola, president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Spiced Foods Industry (CANIRAC).
Chefs from different countries like Spain, Germany, the United States, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Mexico, from some of the top restaurants of the world, that have won Michelin stars and Repsol Suns, participated in the event.
“The fact about these chefs coming to Tijuana for the curiosity of what Baja California represents in the gastronomic field, not just to the local community but the international, it makes us feel proud,” president of Canirac said.
Sabor a Tijuana involved eight months planning with the idea that the participant chefs would be cooking only with local products, also making the biggest aguachile of the world, a paella contest rated by experts from Spain, as well as the laboratory “Metallica Vive la Vaca”, which consisted of roasting meats from different exotic animals.
Another characteristic from this gastronomic meeting was the installation of a 360 kitchen for attendees to witness the complexity of the elaboration of different dishes just like Oscar´s Calleja, head of Annua Restauant (winner of two Michell Stars and two Repsol suns) considered to be one of the driving forces in today´s kitchen.
The main reason for the event is to promote the gastronomic offer of Tijuana, Baja California, Badiola insisted. Also, to promote the goodness of local products, and recalled that Spanish chefs compared the event to Madrid Fusion in Spain, which is held in Europe.
“A dish can convey beauty, happiness, complexity and culture. With that slogan in mind, the festival was created were Tijuana and its gastronomy were the protagonists”, concluded the Canirac president.
Xano Saguer and David Lopez from Spain; Alvaro Clavijo and Harry Sasson from Colombia; Palmiro Ocampo from Peru; Paco Mendez and Berenice Madrigal from Mexico, as well Oscar Calleja from Germany, just to name a few, completed the guest list.
More than 45 stands and food trucks of food, wine, distillates, beer, and souvenirs, as well as conferences and other activities, completed the experience in the esplanade of the Caliente Stadium, which gathered, according to the organizers, more than 15 thousand spectators.
Tony Botella from Spain, added that the particularity of the region makes it enviable to many.
He pointed out that there are ingredients from sea and land, making Baja an endearing part of any chef´s kitchen.
Meanwhile, Michel, one of the attendees at the first edition of Sabor a Tijuana, said: “The attendance was very good, considering that for Tijuanenses these are complicated days because in December they spend a lot; however, I hope that this is not the first and last time of the festival. It has been a very good experience.”
In numbers:
- 8 local chefs
- 17 international chefs
- 15 workshops
- 12 conferences
- 15,000 attendees
SOURCE: Milenio Diario
