A festival of food and drink fit for the Mayan gods

Enjoy the relaxing Riviera Maya while noshing during the Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival.

By Erin Behan

I get hungry just thinking about the Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival. The affair — to be feted from March 15 to 18 — boasts a host of celebrity chefs, many from Mexico, but the chef de resistance is Ferran Adria of (now shuttered) El Bulli restaurant fame. Ticketed festival guests will enjoy an eight-course molecular gastronomy dinner cooked in his honor by chefs from Mexico who studied under his tutelage.

The more than 30 events for food and wine lovers over four days include a luxury catamaran cruise and private beach club dinner, cooking demonstrations from chefs around the world and Cancun afterdark parties with DJ-assisted spirit sampling.

Big-name chefs Jacques Pepin and Aaron Sanchez from the U.S. and a host of Mexican chefs, along with those from other countries, will have you rethinking the burrito. This is one Cancun event where you don’t have to worry about the authenticity of the food. But you should book tickets to individual events early before they sell out.

Of course, while food and drink get top billing, they’re not the only things to do in Cancun. The usual suspects — sunning on the white sandy beaches, exploring ancient Mayan ruins, swimming pristine cenotes and snorkeling the world’s second largest barrier reef — should also make the agenda.

For a place to stay, consider Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach, Live Aqua Cancun, Le Meridien Cancun Resort & Spa, ME Cancun and Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun. All of these Cancun hotels are hosting events and will put you front and center to the foodie fun.

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