The 2016 Latin American and Caribbean Food Festival will take place on June 1 at the Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai. The five-day festival will present traditional food from 10 Latin American and the Caribbean countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

The centerpiece of the festival will take place on June 4, with live music, cultural performances and Latin American treats made by chefs from these countries. The purchase of a ticket entitles attendees to a "passport" good for 20 meal passes and two drinks.

"The event will showcase the culture of the Latin America. Some of the traditional recipes represent the gastronomy of these countries. And there will be music and performances during the festival," said Ricardo Galindo Bueno, Consul General of Colombia in Shanghai, at a pre-festival press conference.

Potatoes and corn are staple foods for Colombians. For the festival, Colombian chef Ronny Javier Rodríguez Sánchez (pictured below right) will present Ajiaquito Santafereno, a dish considered by many as the national dish of Colombia. Originating in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, the dish is actually a soup made of chicken, potatoes and corn with a variety of spices. Another typical Colombian dish, empanadas with meat and potato filling, will also be served.

Much in common

The China-Latin America and Caribbean 2016 Year of Cultural Exchange will also host a series of other activities to promote exchange between Chinese and Latin American and Caribbean cultures.

"We would like to present our culture to the community in Shanghai, as we have a lot in common with Chinese culture," said Lisbet Quesada Luna, the Consul General of Cuba in Shanghai.

During the festival, Cuban chef Osmani Orestes Castillo Iglesias will present several typical dishes from his country. The first one is the Cuban ceviche, a popular seafood dish using raw fish cured in lemon juice. He will also prepare a beef stew and his country's signature dessert, rice pudding (arroz con leche).

Ecuadorian chef Miguel Monar (pictured below left) will also make a ceviche as an appetizer for the festival. But the difference is that the ingredients for Monar's ceviche - fresh tuna and avocado - are from Ecuador. To add a bit of "oriental taste" to his dish, Miguel will add a dash of soy sauce.

"My cooking needs tropical ingredients, exotic spices and hours of elaboration," said Monar. He believes that the gastronomy of Ecuador is based on its culture, its tradition and its legends. He will also present a dessert with Ecuadorian bananas.

Uruguayans consider themselves "not complicated" people. Their food is simple yet delicious. For the festival, the Uruguayan chef will present roast beef with bones, as Uruguay is among the few countries that are allowed to export beef with bones to China. He will also teach guests how to roast meat without burning or over cooking it, a common mistake. Dessert will be pancakes with dulce de leche, a longtime favorite in Latin America.

Another country that is famous for eating beef is Argentina, which also exports top quality beef to China. Their sirloin steak, loin and rib eye will be found in Argentinian dishes at the festival.

Visitors will be able to taste Peruvian ceviche and Chilean wine at the festival, a rare treat. It is impossible to list all the typical food from these countries. A better way to know about it is to visit the festival and taste the dishes in person.

A sample of Latin American treats at the press conference

 

Consuls general from the 10 Latin America countries featured at the food festival

 

Colombian chef Ronny Javier Rodríguez Sánchez

 

Ecuadorian chef Miguel Monar

Photos: Courtesy of Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai and Yang Lan/GT

 
Newspaper headline: A taste of Latino