Mexico: In Tulum, a chef series reveals global secrets of cuisine

By Rosemary McClure

April 9, 2013 12 AM PT

<i>This post has been corrected. See note below for details.</i>

Get a taste of the Maya Empire — flavored by a touch of California cuisine — at an international chef series underway in Tulum, Mexico.

In May the series, sponsored by Zamas Hotel and Que Fresco! restaurant, will feature Chef Alicia Jenish of the Grand Café in San Francisco. Her May 4-8 sessions will focus on the café’s brasserie style of cooking and incorporate touches of Mexican and Caribbean cuisine.

Other chefs and mixologists will lead sessions throughout the rest of the year and into 2014.

“We’re excited to have a talented roster of chefs and bartenders visiting us,” said Susan Bholken, a co-owner of the hotel. “This series allows for some great cross-cultural exchange in the kitchen and behind the bar.”

In July, Chef Telmo Faria of the Bay Area restaurant Tacolicious will cook with Chef Donnie Masterton of the Restaurant in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Their July 10-15 sessions will feature signature dishes and drinks from their restaurants.

[FOR THE RECORD, 5:30 p.m., April 9: A previous version of this post misspelled Susan Bholken’s name as Bhoiken in the paragraph below. Also, the photo credit above was incorrect. The photo was credited to Melissa Horn. The photographer is Melissa Hom.]

Bholken said visiting chefs and bartenders would focus on fresh, indigenous ingredients, preparing specials from personal recipes after touring the produce market in Tulum and meeting with local fishermen.

Other upcoming participants include:

Chef Adam Duyle, of the Monk’s Kettle and the Abbot’s Cellar in San Francisco, who will visit in November
Scott Baird, co-founder of the cocktail and spirits consulting company, the Bon Vivants, will visit in early 2014
Chef Victor Albisu from Taco Bamba and Del Campo in Washington, D.C., plans to visit in late January 2014.

Tulum, in the Yucatan Peninsula, is the site of a well-known pre-Columbian Maya walled city. Zamas and Que Fresco! opened nearly two decades ago.