It’s no surprise that Mexican cuisine appears on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. After all, few other culinary traditions are so recognized and enjoyed around the globe. Mexico’s deliciously complex flavors and varied ingredients—the result of influence from pre-Hispanic and European traditions, as well as new international trends—are complemented by a rich heritage in the world of spirits, including tequila and even wine.
These elements make for especially interesting options for groups, in terms of both menus and activities like tastings, demonstrations and team-building cooking classes.
“For us, the cuisine is an ‘added value’ that we offer to achieve success for congresses and conventions,” says Beatriz Gomez, director at Grupo MAELCA, a Merida-based DMC. “Gastronomy is a fundamental part of the planning of our events.”
To get those creative juices flowing, here are some tasty choices In Mexico’s most popular interior cities.
Mexico City
The largest city in North America, Mexico’s capital is a logical first step for connecting with great cuisine.
“With a flourishing economy, strengthened by infrastructure and world-class services, as well as its easy accessibility from major U.S. cities, Mexico City is an ideal place for business meetings and executive appointments,” says Miguel Torruco, minister of tourism for Mexico City.
It’s also a rewarding place for wining and dining. Groups can enjoy creative cuisine without leaving the hotel at venues like Dolce Mexico, a restaurant that combines Mexican and Italian influences at the Crowne Plaza Mexico. At the Camino Real Mexico City, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, groups of 10 to 25 can reserve a guided gastronomy tour, which stops in each of the property’s restaurants and bars to sample authentic specialties, including cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and main courses.
Mexico City’s sophisticated restaurant scene provides lots of interesting off-site options, including Azul Historico, which serves traditional Mexican meals for groups of up to 120, and Corazon de Maguey, which accommodates 200 people and serves mezcal from the company’s own artisan distillery in Oaxaca.
Among the DMCs that connect planners with cuisine in Mexico City is IVI DMC, which can organize a “day with Patricia Quintana,” a famous local chef. The activity includes a cooking workshop at the chef’s home and a visit to a local market. PageBreak
Guadalajara
Mexico’s second-largest city is the capital of the state of Jalisco, the birthplace of tequila and Mariachi. So it’s no surprise that the destination offers entertaining options for groups.
“A so-called ‘must’ is the tequila-tasting ceremony, which should not be missed, especially when visiting Guadalajara and the nearby agave distilleries, which, by the way, are a perfect setting for a memorable event,” says Hans-Peter Holst, director of KOMEX tours/Grupo ROYALE, a DMC based in Mexico City. “Guests will learn about the history of tequila, the process of distillation, how this national drink is drunk traditionally and how to differentiate among the different qualities of tequila.”
Groups can also tap into the traditions of tequila, a spirit derived from the agave plant, with a ride aboard the Jose Cuervo Express, which offers private coaches for customized, roundtrip rail tours between Guadalajara and the town of Tequila.
Monterrey
Mexico’s largest northern city, Monterrey is an economic powerhouse and a rewarding place to dine.
“Cuisine in the north is more focused on beef, since there is so much cattle here,” says chef Astrid Kerlegand, owner of Escuela de Cocina Astrid Kerlegand, a local cooking school that offers team-building cooking classes for groups of up to 10.
She tailors the sessions to each group and recommends including a variety of cuisine from around the nation.
“It depends on the interests of the group,” she explains.
Participants work in teams to prepare a complete three-course meal and then enjoy their creations paired with wine. For larger groups, Kerlegand offers live cooking demonstrations and tastings.
Local DMCs also provide recommendations and coordinate menus with the best regional specialties.
“Gastronomy from Monterrey is traditionally focused on flavors from the mountains, livestock and a lot of cured food,” says Elda Laura Cerda, general director of DMC Monterrey.
Her company has created customized menus with specialties including tortillas de nopal (prickly pear tortillas), free-range eggs with black beans and artisanal chili sauce.
For a stylish interpretation of local favorites, planners should consider hotels like Habita Monterrey, a member of Grupo Habita and Design Hotels. Executive Chef Marco Aceves serves chicly presented dishes in the restaurant and during private events at the 80-person Pool Bar and 40-person Terrace.
Puebla
The birthplace of mole poblano serves up of plenty of delicious diversions, especially in its historic center.
Perhaps the best-known culinary hotel is Meson Sacristia, a member of Mexico Boutique Hotels. The property offers on-site cooking classes in both English and Spanish that include visits to local markets and expert guidance in the secrets of la cocina poblana. The on-site Restaurant La Compania has private dining rooms for 15 and 25, as well as a 60-person courtyard.
Larger hotels in Puebla, including the Holiday Inn Puebla Finsa, not only arrange events on-site but also coordinate happenings in noteworthy venues like Puebla de Antano, a hotel and restaurant set in a historic former home, and La Purificadora, a stylish boutique hotel that serves contemporary Mexican cuisine for groups of up to 150. PageBreak
Colonial Cities
Mexico’s smaller cities provide never-ending inspiration for planners looking to imbue their event or excursion with authentic tastes.
In San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with 17th- and 18th-century treasures, groups can get an insider’s view of local cuisine through people like Patty Dubois, a U.S. expat who owns Patsy’s Place, which offers cooking classes and a pavilion for private parties.
“San Miguel is one of the most magical towns in the universe,” says Dubois, who first visited at age 21 to study for her MFA and ended up staying for 44 years.
In the city of Guanajuato, even chain hotels like the Holiday Inn Express Guanajuato change their menus daily to showcase the best regional specialties, while Quinta la Acacias, a member of Mexico Boutique Hotels, offers cooking classes with the chef, who accompanies guests to the local market before guiding them through the process of creating a culinary masterpiece.
In Oaxaca, groups can savor regional cuisine while enjoying live entertainment at Quinta Real Oaxaca, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. During the Guelaguetza Show, which takes place every Friday for the public but can be staged any night for private groups, live dance accompanies a generous dinner buffet that features a variety of moles and Oaxaca appetizers.
The historic city of Zacatecas also offers myriad opportunities to add flavor to group outings.
“At our Condimento restaurant, we introduce guests to a fresh variety of Mexican and international cuisine, with select menu items during dinner service featuring our famous seasoning,” says Paola Marin Pinet, sales manager at Emporio Zacatecas, a member of Summit Hotels & Resorts. “In Los Canteros Bar, we offer more than 10 kinds of beverages with traditional Mexican mezcal or tequila, as well as an excellent menu of Mexican snacks.”
To enjoy the unique cuisine of the Yucatan peninsula, the best place to start is the city of Merida.
“Yucatecan cuisine is known worldwide as one of the most varied and traditional in Mexico,” says David Hidalgo, director of the Office of Congresses and Conventions for the state of Yucatan. “Usually, groups arriving in Yucatan include a traditional Yucatecan dish in all of their meals or have a social event with a banquet of Yucatecan cuisine. More and more, corporate groups want to get involved with the culture and tradition of the destinations they visit, and look for activities that make them feel part of the region, such as Yucatecan cooking classes or sharing with an authentic Mayan family.”
Xcanatun, a beautifully upscale hotel set in a former hacienda, has its own well-regarded gourmet restaurant, Casa Piedra. The venue recently introduced a new menu that includes local delicacies like Kastakan (pork belly). Chef Paloma Ponce, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, can also offer a group Maya blessing for special meals.
Contemporary Latin American cuisine, meanwhile, is the specialty at the Hyatt Regency Merida, which recently opened a new restaurant called Amuza with a private dining area.
Planners looking to unlock the secrets of Yucatecan cuisine should also consider Los Dos Cooking School.
“We have a very popular package for large groups that want to dabble in cooking, but mainly want to socialize and get to know the locals,” says David Sterling, the school’s chef and founder. “Los Dos also offers Street Eats tasting tours and the Chocolate Fantasy, which includes a visit to the Mayan ruins at Uxmal as well as a cacao plantation.
Mark Chesnut has been covering Mexico for nearly 15 years.
