Upcoming Food & Wine Festival in Ixtapa 2011

Top Chef Master Rick Bayless was in town recently to help promote Food and Wine Magazine’s upcoming Food Festival in Ixtapa, Mexico. The event was held in Red O restaurant’s tequila bar, where Bayless is the consulting chef. Some of my favorite journalists (including the legendary Barbara Hansen) and lucky food bloggers (myself included) were there to learn more about the upcoming festival.

Even though Bayless was only on hand for a short while (Top Chef Masters are busy of course!), my friend Brent and I had fun snapping photos (he’s a huge Bayless fan), and really enjoyed chatting with Jorge Gamboa Patrón, the L.A. Director of Mexico’s Tourism Board. I definitely need to spend more time (eating) across the border!

Travel Weekly writes: “The event, scheduled for March 26 to 28, is hosted by the magazine in conjunction with the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Convention and Visitors Bureau. Bayless and chefs and bartenders from throughout Mexico will lead three days of cooking demonstrations, tastings, seminars and intimate tours of the culinary scene.” (more via link below)

The festival schedule includes a Catamaran Tour to Zihuatanejo Bay, “Market to Table” with Rick Bayless, a Tequila Tasting, a Wine Seminar and a Celebration of Top Female Chefs of Mexico.

This was my first visit to Red O, and the Partida tequila that bartender Steven Calabro was serving, certainly added to the fun evening. Check out his “Bartending Boot Camp” website, along with festival links below.

Photos:

Chefs Edgar Vazquez, Rick Bayless, Victor Torres