Chef Edgar Leal: Ambassador For Latin American Cuisine

Chef of Cacao Restaurant to Represent the Gateway to Latin America

The "Miami-Latin America Food Festival" at the Luxurious Ciragan Palace Hotel in Istanbul

MARCH 2006 MIAMI. Chef & Owner Edgar Leal of the Cacao Restaurant, located at 141 Giralda Street Coral Gables Florida, announced today that he has been chosen by the management of the Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski, of Istanbul, Turkey, to represent the Miami region, the Gateway to Latin America, with his signature interpretations of classic Latin American Cuisine.

The special event The "Miami-Latin America Food Festival" organized by the Giragan Palace Hotel Kempinski, Istanbul is part of an ongoing program at the luxury hotel that includes various Ethnocentric Regional foods.

Chef Leal's events and demonstrations will run from April 24th through April 28th. (SEE EVENT MENU ATTACHED).

The goal of the event at the Palace Hotel's LALEDAN RESTAURANT is to present the food lovers of Istanbul with the rich flavors of the America's Southern Hemisphere including Mexico, Argentina, Chile Venezuela and Ecuador. Each course will be matched with world class Global Wine choices.

"Our objective for Istanbul resembles the effort in China," said the peripatetic Chef Leal. "We want to translate the best possible representation of Latin American foods and recipes in a global arena. I am also very proud that the Ciragan Palace Management chose my food to represent the Miami and Latin American region."

Chef Edgar Leal and Cacao Restaurant's Chef de Cuisine and Patissier Mariana Montero, will also conduct formal Staff Training and Demonstrations at the Giragan Palace Hotel during their four (4) day Istanbul visit.

While he is in Istanbul, CACAO RESTAURANT in Coral Gables will present a special degustation Menu recognizing the Ciragan Palace Event and Demonstrations named THE ISTANBUL MENU.

The Istanbul Menu degustation will be culled from the Istanbul event menu, will start at fifty five dollars ($55.) per person plus tax and tip; and will run from APRIL 24th through April 30th. Cacao guests will have the opportunity to include a Wine Matching or Wine Flight in the menu, chosen by Cacao Sommelier Richard DiGiacomo.

For pricing and reservations to Cacao's Istanbul Menu Degustation, please call General Manager Andres Futo at (305) 445-1001.

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