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Araxi's James Walt taking part in renowned Mexican culinary festival

Chef is in Ensenada, Mexico for 25th annual Festival de las Conchas y el Vino
araxi-chef-james-walt-_by-james-herlock_
TASTE TOUR Araxi Executive Chef James Walt is participating in a renowned culinary festival on Mexico's Baja coast this weekend. Photo by James Herlock / Submitted

With Araxi’s $33 five-course menu in full swing for shoulder season, it’s the time of year when locals typically indulge at one of Canada’s most iconic fine dining restaurants.

But it’s not just Whistlerites who will get to sample Executive Chef James Walt’s award-winning cuisine this weekend, as he heads to the acclaimed Festival de las Conchas y el Vino in Ensenada, on Mexico’s Baja coast.

The annual seafood and wine festival attracts a myriad of international gastronomes, and is a hotspot for visitors hailing from Southern California, located just two hours north from the popular vacation destination.

“Much like Whistler, Ensenada is rapidly making its mark on the food and wine industry, and I’m honoured to be invited to participate as a guest at their annual festival,” Walt said in a release.

Known by locals as “The Cinderella of the Pacific,” Ensenada is hugged by an emerging wine region to the northeast that’s come into its own in the past half decade and is starting to become recognized by wine aficionados around the globe.

On Friday, April 10, Walt toured a local market and met with fish merchants at the docks in preparation for Saturday night’s dinner at Ensenada’s revered Restaurante Manzanilla, named one of Latin America’s 50 best restaurants. There, Walt will unveil his menu comprised entirely of local ingredients.

On Sunday, he will wrap up the festival with a cooking demonstration.

To keep up with Walt’s travels, follow the hashtag #ChefWaltOnTour on social media. Guests can also take part in real time and ask Walt questions as he shops and cooks through Twitter’s new live-streaming video application, Periscope.

In September, Walt will be taking his talents outside of Whistler once more for a 10-day culinary tour of Peru.

For more information, visit www.araxi.com.