Dear International Living Reader,

One of the things we love most about Mexico is its wonderful cuisine. Not just Mexican food…which we never tire of…but foods of just about any type. Mexicans love to eat (who doesn’t?) and they love to celebrate any kind of event–large or small–with food. Lots of it. And did I mention the wonderful wines of Mexico? The bounty of bold beers brewed here? And the tasty, tempting tequilas?

Let me snap back from my culinary daydreams to tell you that in all of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta is well known for its plethora of extraordinary restaurants. Some of the world’s most famous chefs own restaurants here.

So it’s not surprising to learn that an International Festival Gourmet is held every November in Vallarta. (Fortunately for us, this year’s festival will coincide with our own International Living Live and Invest in Mexico Seminar.)

From Nov. 10-20, xenophiles and gourmands will come from far and wide to enjoy an unsurpassed experience of local gastronomy and flavor at the International Festival Gourmet in Vallarta. Some of the world’s master chefs will share their expertise with Vallarta’s many local talented chefs at the most acclaimed restaurants in the area. Every night, they will jointly prepare creative delights with customized menus and specialties in all participating establishments. What a perfect time to be in Vallarta!

You can participate in any of the several "Chefs and Winemakers Dinners," where luscious dinner courses and select wines will be featured and presented by the winemakers. There will be a special cocktail evening on Thursday, Nov. 10, where you can meet all the invited celebrity chefs from around the world. During the following week, there will be special "Chef’s Table and Wine Tasting" events, held at a different restaurant every night.

The highlight of the festival is the EXPO-FORUM, taking place Monday, Nov. 14 through Thursday, Nov. 17. You can participate in cooking classes, specialized food seminars, a gourmet food fair introducing the newest and most creative epicurean products available, Tequila Madness, and much more–like fashion shows, live music, and dancing.

The Festival started 11 years ago as the brainchild of Thierry Blouet of Café des Artistes, Heinz Reize of Hotel Krystal, and Sivan Muller of Nestle. (If you’ve been to Vallarta…or are a fan of gourmet food shows and magazines, you’ve heard of these three.) Each year, they’ve been making the festival bigger and better and drawing even more renowned chefs to Mexico to share their talents.

This year, the special guest will be Charlie Trotter, proprietor and founder of Charlie Trotter’s, considered one of the finest restaurants in the world. Just this year, he opened "C" at One & Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, on the tip of the Baja Peninsula. (Not nearly so well-known is his scholarship program, the Charlie Trotter Culinary Education Foundation, which has raised over $475,000 to further the education of qualified high school students who wish to pursue a career in the culinary field.)

Find out more about the International Festival Gourmet Vallarta here: http://www.festivalgourmet.com/index.html

Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher
For International Living in Mexico
E-mail: Mexico@InternationalLiving.com

P.S. Special note to those who plan to attend our Live and Invest in Mexico Seminar in Puerto Vallarta Nov. 13-15: The timing for this event couldn’t be better. On Monday night during the seminar we’re planning an optional group dinner outing to one of the acclaimed restaurants participating in the International Festival Gourmet Vallarta. We’ll let you know more as this event develops, but we promise it will be fun, festive, and food-filled! Even if you decide to stay in the hotel that night, you won’t miss out. The ‘Chef’s Table and Wine Tasting’ event on Monday night is being held at Da Antonio…at the Presidente Intercontinental Luxury Hotel, where we’re hosting the Live and Invest in Mexico Seminar. We’ve obtained an excellent rate there, by the way. To learn more about our event, read more here. And remember, you’ll save $100 off the regular price when you register before Oct. 13.

We hope to have dinner and drinks with you in Puerto Vallarta this November!