New York City Celebrates Modern Mexican Gastronomy - A Unesco Cultural Heritage

Just last month, leading media, senior principals of the Mexico and Riviera Maya Tourist Boards and managing staff of Grand Velas Riviera Maya enjoyed a celebration of Modern Mexican Gastronomy, recently declared a cultural heritage by UNESCO. The event, held at the Plaza Athenee in New York City, featured a bicentennial menu from chefs of the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya's gourmet restaurants.

Fifty guests enjoyed a six course menu inspired by the five historic routes to Independence prepared by resort chefs from Sen Lin, Piaf, Lucca, Frida and Cocina de Autor, the gourmet restaurants from the Grand Velas Riviera Maya under the direction of Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage, Patrick Louis. Menu items included Shaved Marinated Scallops in Green Tomatillo and Thyme Olive Oil, Bean Cappuccino with Cotija Cheese Foam, Veal Tenderloin Glazed with Toasted Chiles sauce, Petit Pots of Mexican Delight and Croustillants (Xtabentum, Xantah, Tequila Cream) and more. Star wines, Piedra del Sol Chardonnay and Vino de Piedro Cabernet Sauvignon-Tempranillo, from Baja California accompanied the meal.

Hosts included Juan Vela, Vice President of Velas Resorts; Fernando Garcia Rossette, Managing Director, Grand Velas Riviera Maya; Alfonso Sumano, Director - the Americas, Mexico Tourist Board; and Dario Flota, Director of the Riviera Maya Tourist Board.

The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya, an all-suites and spa resort located five minutes from Playa del Carmen, represents the latest and most sophisticated iteration of the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive resort experience. This Leading Hotels of the World designated resort is the preeminent one of its class boasting 491 suites, each more than 1,000 square-feet, in three separate ambiances-- adult-only ocean-front and ocean-view Ambassador Grand Class Suites, family-friendly Ambassador Suites and Master Suites embraced by the flora and fauna of the Yucatan Peninsula's jungle. The resort presents a gastronomic tour of the Yucatan, Europe and Asia offering seven restaurants with world-class chefs from France, Spain and Mexico; dedicated butler service for each guest, and the region's largest spa sanctuary at over 89,000 square-feet specializing in signature treatments inspired by ancient cultures from around the world. The spa recently won Virtuoso's "Best Spa" in the world and a SpaFinder Readers' Choice Award. The resort was designed by lauded Mexican architecture firm Elias and Elias and features the sleek and modish interiors that fuse the serenity of the Caribbean with the vibrancy of Yucatan cultures.