One&Only Palmilla Adds Herb Garden & Mexican Culinary School

  • May 4, 2012
One&Only Palmilla Adds Herb Garden & Mexican Culinary School
Home to the upcoming Mexican Culinary Festival November 7-11, 2012, the One&Only Palmilla Herb Garden served as the location for daily cooking demonstrations led by celebrity chefs Enrique Olvera from Pujol, Daniel Ovadía from Paxia, and Edgar Nunez from Sud777 during the inaugural festival last fall.

The new intimate garden venue will now serve as the location for weekly complimentary cooking demonstrations and Iron-Chef-style culinary competitions led by visiting Mexican chefs and resort experts. Able to accommodate up to 12 guests, each weekly culinary seminar begins with a guided tour of the herb garden that boasts a variety of fresh produce including a collection of indigenous chilies such as habanero, pequin, and poblano, and herbs such as cilantro, epazote, sweet basil, and hibiscus tea plant. Each demonstration will be paired with a Mexican wine or tequila selected by Head Sommelier Manuel Arteaga.

“We know our guests are passionate about food, so we have taken elements from the Mexican Culinary Festival and transformed them into a weekly curriculum to be enjoyed throughout the year,” says George Sotelo, Resident Manager. “My hope is that guests walk away with a new appreciation for the techniques and flavors of Mexican cuisine that they can then recreate at home.”

In addition to weekly culinary classes, the new Herb Garden will also play host to Iron-Chef-type competitions pairing teams of four guests with one chef against another like team in a light-hearted cook-off. Winners will be awarded a complimentary dinner at the Chef’s table. Similar style culinary classes and competitions in the Herb Garden will also be made available for teens ages 14-17.

Designed to incorporate the four elements of Chi – water, fire, earth and wind – the One&Only Palmilla Herb Garden featuring an authentic Mexican fountain and torch also presents guests with an exclusive new venue for private dining and celebrations.

Hotel Profile, more photos: One&Only Palmilla