3 days ago
Relish The Heritage Culinary Festival Celebrates A Decade In Los Cabos
Baja California Sur continues developing into an innovative and exciting culinary destination, as demonstrated by the many gastronomic festivals that are held around the area throughout the year. One of the longest running is the annual Relish the Heritage festival, which will celebrate a decade of deliciousness in 2026.
Nestled between the desert, the Sea of Cortez, and the Pacific Ocean, the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa is home to the event, founded by the property's owner in collaboration with chef Thierry Blouet, owner of Café des Artistes Los Cabos. The festival showcases Mexican gastronomy, mixology, wine, and music, honoring a different culinary region of Mexico each year and fusing it with the coastal essence of its home in Baja California Sur.
In 2025, the ninth festival edition celebrated the cosmopolitan spirit of Mexico City with an exceptional lineup of chefs joining the resort's host chefs, Pablo Hildebrando and Mario Rodríguez. In 2024 Michoacán was in the spotlight, while 2023 highlighted Puebla. Earlier editions have celebrated the culinary richness of Oaxaca, Yucatán, Jalisco and Veracruz, consolidating the festival as a showcase of the diversity and sophistication of contemporary Mexican cuisine.
'Relish the Heritage is an exclusive gastronomic festival,' says Hildebrando, executive chef of JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa. 'Its purpose is to celebrate the richness of Mexican gastronomy and viticulture in one of the most spectacular natural settings in Baja California Sur.
Hildebrando adds that what sets Relish the Heritage apart from other food festivals organized by hotels is its intimate and exclusive nature. "It is not open to the public, and access is only possible by invitation or through Marriott Bonvoy Moments. This exclusivity not only guarantees a personalized and high-level experience but also reinforces Marriott Bonvoy's commitment to creating memorable moments for its most distinguished members."
The 2025 festival started with an event celebrating Mexico City's famed street flavors, with various booths serving traditional dishes like tacos al pastor and featuring mixology by Rayo Cocktail Bar, No.5 in North America's 50 Best Bars 2024. The following evening, a special dinner at MarHumo, the resort's newly opened restaurant by Baja California's award-winning chef Javier Plascencia, honored the restaurant's name with flavors from the sea, cooked with fire and smoke, and served family-style.
On Saturday afternoon, guests traveled to a nearby organic garden where chef Blouet and his daughter, chef Vanessa Blouet, harvested fresh ingredients to prepare a stunning al fresco gourmet lunch. Later in the evening, a Mexican wine tasting featured Cuban music and wines from RGMX in Coahuila and Adobe Guadalupe in the renowned Valle de Guadalupe, accompanied by tapas from Café des Artistes Los Cabos and Mexico City's award-winning Cana restaurant.
To close the festival, guests were treated to an exceptional wine pairing dinner at Café des Artistes, in which chef Blouet and his team cooked alongside guest chefs, including three talented women: Fabiola Escobosa of Cana, known for a cuisine that combines freshness and urban flair; Fernanda Prado, a standout pastry chef who blends traditions with innovation; and Vanessa Blouet, who offers a modern, creative approach through her French and Mexican heritage.
'Looking ahead to the future, and especially to the celebration of its tenth anniversary, the festival is preparing for significant evolution,' says Hildebrando. "The goal is to renew its proposal with a more innovative and a multi-sensory approach, integrating new regions, emerging talents, and immersive experiences that continue to position Relish the Heritage as a benchmark of excellence in hospitality and gastronomy in Mexico.'
