Oh hello, Thanksgiving week! I just came back from spending 10 glorious days in Puerto Vallarta. This was no ordinary trip and in fact I was there for work (yes, work) promoting Ceja Vineyards wines at the Festival Gourmet International at The Grand Mayan Resort. It was quite the honor to participate considering my mom was the invited chef at Tramonto Restaurant. I also acted as her Sous Chef and we both joined forces to heavily promote our wines during the winemaker dinners every evening.
I had been to Puerto Vallarta once before as a kid but now I could really appreciate the lush landscape, the vibrant culture and the beautiful beaches. We had a strict agenda most of the time but during the day we had a few hours to escape and explore the quaint colonial town, eat fresh fish on the beach and catch some rays with a refreshing Paloma in hand.
Here are a few highlights of the trip - both working & relaxing.
Every night I was floored by the reactions that the guests had of the delicious food, the wines and the overall dinning experience. We couldn’t have done it without the help of such an amazing and cohesive team at the Grand Mayan Resort. From the talented chefs, to the sommeliers, to the servers at the restaurant, everyone collaborated as a unit and made it a 5 star experience – both unique and unforgettable. I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again!
Chefs: Cassandra, Felipe, Amelia & me in Tramonto's kitchen
Grilled Chile Relleno
Tortilleria "tortilla bakery." They make over 50,000 tortillas a day for the entire resort
Testing our recipes with the chefs
Lobster + Ceja Chardonnay
Inside the test kitchen
Inside the restaurant, working the floor
