San Miguel de Allende Launches Ultimate Food & Art Festival: “Market of Arts & Gastronomy” Featuring World-Renowned Chefs & Artists
An ambitious new Mexican food and art festival, that is expected to become an annual event, is being launched July 13-16, 2017 in San Miguel de Allende, announced Bruce James, director of Hotel Matilda. Hotel Matilda and Rosewood San Miguel de Allende are the festival’s lead sponsors and organizers.
“The Market of Arts & Gastronomy (MAG) will be the grandest and most dynamic food and art festival in Mexico, bringing together an array of high-profile participants including leading chefs, hotels, restaurants, food and spirits companies, wineries, artists, major media and others,” said Mr. James. “And we are currently talking with other cities to hold the festival in a different Mexican destination each year.”
Dozens of events and activities are planned over the four days of the initial MAG festival in San Miguel, starting with a kickoff dinner in Moxi at Hotel Matilda with renowned Mexican chef Enrique Olvera.
Among the events and activities on the festival agenda are:
- Petit Comité Culinary & Art Events: Special, intimate dinners and luncheons will be held at leading restaurants and unique locations in historic San Miguel, with noted chefs cooking and artists exhibiting their works; participation will range from 40 diners to a maximum of 120. Among the dinner locations will be Casa Armida,1826 Restaurant at Rosewood, Moxi,The Restaurant and Casa Dragones, while a special lunch will be held at Bruce James’ home.
- Marché: A grand market of gastronomy, beverages and art in San Miguel’s beautiful Parque Juárez will feature more than 120 booths with leading restaurants offering tasting dishes, tastings of Tequila, spirits, beers, wines and cheeses, and an art tunnel, art performances and art exhibitors. Casa de Aves will be supplying the design and the stands for the Marché.
- Talk: Chefs and artists will share their personal experiences with dynamic demonstrations.
- A ‘Mixology Room’ will be a dedicated space for enjoying premium and artisanal spirits and liquors, with top Mexican bartenders working their magic.
- Edible Expositions will present innovative art works that will be eaten by festival goers. At an Edible Exposition by Fernanda Prado, dinner courses will be paired with art and Monte Xanic wines.
- Special Tasting Events: Tequila, mezcal and beer tastings at El Chorro ‘Casa de la Cultura’ (a space for cultural and art activities).
- Trillar: From a word referring to a green coffee bean that has not yet matured or been classified, the Trillar at Hacienda los Picachos will be a platform for emerging chefs to present their creative ideas to the press and MAG guests.
- Casa Cuervo After Party: The main party of the festival where all the chefs, sponsors, festival-goers and press will celebrate the first edition of MAG.
“MAG will be unlike any other food festival,” explained Mr. James. “It will be truly interactive, convivial and intimate – like friends getting together to enjoy fine food, drink and art. The level and number of renowned chefs and artists participating is unprecedented. And it will be set in the captivating and seductive atmosphere of incomparable San Miguel de Allende.”
Hotel Matilda is a dynamic contemporary hotel celebrated for its chic lifestyle-focused guest experience and one-of-a-kind art and culinary events. The ‘Matilda lifestyle’ guest experience combines an award-winning holistic spa; Bar Müi known for its creative mixology; designer rooms and suites; a vibrant art-gallery-like interior – the first
contemporary ambiance in colonial San Miguel de Allende – filled with an eclectic collection of dramatic contemporary works by noted artists, many specifically commissioned for the hotel; and world-class dining by internationally acclaimed Chef Enrique Olvera in Moxi.