PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – June 05th., 2008 – Puerto Vallarta sets the stage for one of the finest culinary experiences in Mexico and those attending the Food + Wine Classic in Aspen – June 13-15 – will have the opportunity to sample a Taste of Puerto Vallarta with tantalizing delicacies prepared by acclaimed chef Guillermo “Memo” Wulff.
Puerto Vallarta’s natural beauty is a source of inspiration for chefs from Mexico and around the world who create an exciting amalgam of flavors blending traditional Mexican ingredients with contemporary tastes from around the globe. Food aficionados can delight in the wide array of dining alternatives from family-run taco stands to internationally acclaimed restaurants some of which also impress with their avant-garde designs and many of them Five Star Diamond Award recipients from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.
In November of every year, Puerto Vallarta reigns as Mexico’s capital of culinary arts with the annual International Gourmet Festival. During this ten-day celebration that is a feast for the senses, about 20 guest chefs in addition to talented local chefs offer special Chef’s Table and Winemaker dinners in over 20 participating restaurants, cooking classes and demonstrations, and cheese, wine and tequila tastings. Gerard Dupont, president of the Académie Culinaire de France (the French Culinary Academy) is a regular participant. Past participants have also included Anton Mossimann of Club Mossimann in London, winner of numerous international awards, and internationally acclaimed Mexican chef Patricia Quintana.
One of Puerto Vallarta’s most respected culinary talents, Guillermo “Memo” Wulff is executive chef and owner of El Dorado, officially the second oldest established restaurant on Puerto Vallarta’s beach that has been owned by the same family for almost 50 years.
Chef Wulff immersed himself in San Francisco’s food scene while getting his culinary arts degree from California Culinary Academy. He is a student of innovation, fusing ethnic elements, technique and imagination. Memo loves pushing the envelope – wielding a Mexican household kitchen tool, the tortilla press; he creates an Italian style carpaccio of scallops, served with Japanese wasabi and Mexican chile oils. For the Food + Wine Classic, chef Memo has created a special sampling of fine tastes including Sweet Duck Confit with Enchiladas Poblano Sauce, Scallop Ceviche with Habanero and Soy Granita, and Shrimp Cahuamanta Tostaditas. In September 2006, Chef Memo was part of the Puerto Vallarta culinary team that led a special Taste of Puerto Vallarta event at the James Beard House in New York and later at Epcot Center’s International Food and Wine Festival in Florida.
Additional information on Puerto Vallarta and the International Gourmet Festival can be obtained at www.visitpuertovallarta.com