Todos Santos, BCS, Mexico — Perched on a hilltop overlooking the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Todos Santos’ El Mirador Restaurant sets the scene for the fifth annual BajaMed Festival. Held this year from November 10-11, the annual culinary event is set to take foodies on a gastronomic adventure from the Baja peninsula all the way to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
BajaMed is a concept that fuses Baja California cuisine with Mediterranean elements, prepared with fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients. The event brings together local fishermen, chefs, and overall lovers of fresh, regional, authentic cuisine and excellent wines. Chef Miguel Angel Guerrero, the veritable father of BajaMed cuisine, takes the wheel on this culinary tour, which culminates in a four-course pairing dinner for the main event.
Additional festival events include an invitation-only fishing trip and a fileting clinic/workshop with craft beer tasting, open to the public, to be held at the El Faro Beach Club. The event, now in its fifth year, is a dream experience for both foodies and lovers of the coast of Baja California.
About the Dinner
The BajaMed Culinary Festival Dinner (https://guaycura.com/en/baja-med-2023/), held November 11, will be set at El Mirador de Todos Santos, just two miles from the historic downtown. Guests can whet their appetites with a cocktail of visuals as the sun sets down into the Pacific. Chef Guerrero has combined his love for the sea and the land with his ability to harness fire, water, and plants to create spectacular dishes that converge in a delicious culinary creation.
Guests will also be able to sip actual cocktails upon arrival at El Mirador, while live music brings the entire atmosphere to life. When dinner arrives, attendees are invited to sit at tables for 10. The four-course meal includes wine pairings with wines from Baja, Spain, and Italy. At the end of the meal, a DJ will take over so guests can continue the party into the night.
About the Fishing Experience and Filleting Clinic
So much of the power of Baja and Mediterranean cooking comes from the sea. The BajaMed Festival believes in strengthening the bond between restaurants and fishermen, especially when thinking about sustainable cooking practices and fair, honest cuisine. Local and small-scale fishing is the ancestral way, and the festival aims to celebrate that time-honored tradition.
Two pangas take guests out into the Pacific in search of fresh fish. On board, guests will hear experiences from the historical experts of Punta Lobos, who will weave in fishing tradition stories of the region and how they pertain to modern-day cuisine.
Fish in hand, guests return from the sea to the El Faro Beach Club, where a fileting clinic awaits with El Cóndor, master filleter from Punta Lobos, alongside Chef Guerrero. Learn and perfect knife techniques to achieve the best cuts for different presentations of fish and discover secrets for maximizing the “nose to tail” concept. The entire day wraps with a tasting of fresh ceviche, sampling craft beer, and selling oysters from the Punta Lobos Collective.
The dinner and fileting workshops are both open to the public, while the fishing trip is by invitation only. The price for the dinner is $1,900 Mexican pesos. The price for the filet demonstration is $400 Mexican pesos and $600 Mexican pesos for the filet workshop.
Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.
About Grupo Guaycura
Grupo Guaycura is the team behind Guaycura Boutique Hotel, Beach Club & Spa in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. Located about one hour from Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos is one of the most boutique and sought-after destinations for bohemian and luxury travelers along the Baja Peninsula. Grupo Guaycura includes the historic, chic downtown hotel, as well as the luxurious El Faro Beach Club and El Mirador Restaurant. The beach club is two miles from the historic center of Todos Santos and features an infinity pool, poolside seafood grill and bar, and a small spa.
