WANT IT, QRO. The month of September 2025 will be a milestone for gastronomy in Querétaro. The city, recognized for its rich culinary offering and its commitment to tourism development, will be the headquarters of the Third Competition Skewers and Tapas Mexico and the Second Tapas Contest of the Americas. These events, which will bring together chefs from all over Mexico and the American continent, promise to become a showcase of talent, creativity and gastronomic tradition.
In interview with The EconomistEva García Cuervo, director of the contests, was enthusiastic about the evolution and growth of both contests. “We are on the third day of the Tapas Contest of the Americas. During this edition, we had the National Contest with 32 participants from different states of Mexico, and we also had 14 participants from nine countries in America, from Canada to Argentina. The level of competition has grown exponentially, and the quality of the tapas presented is impressive.”
The importance of this contest lies not only in the competition itself, but in the opportunity to represent Mexico and the countries of America in the Pinchos and Tapas World Cup in Valladolid, Spain. “The winner of the national contest will travel to Valladolid to represent Mexico, while the second and third places will receive financial prizes. For him Contest of the Americasthe first three places will represent their countries in the World Cup. The jury evaluates that the tapas reflect the essence of each country and that they can be replicated with ingredients available in Spain during the event in November,” García Cuervo explained.
World Pinchos and Tapas Competition
Ángel Moretón, technical director of the Valladolid World Pinchos and Tapas Competition, He was also present in Querétaro and shared his vision about the competition. “The level we have seen this year is impressive. It has been very difficult for the juries to decide who will represent their countries in Valladolid. We hope that these great chefs continue to grow and manage to stand out in the world competition,” Moretón mentioned in an interview with The Economist.
The competition in Querétaro is part of a series of international competitions organized by the world competition. This year, in addition to the Americas Competition, events have been held in Malaysia and Oceania, bringing together chefs from Australia and New Zealand. All these winners, Together with those selected from Mexico and the Americas, they will compete in November in Valladolid for the title of best tapa in the world.
Pinchos and Tapas Contest
Competition in Mexico
Since its first edition, the Mexican National Pinchos and Tapas Contest has grown both in quantity and quality. In their first year, in 2023, they participated 32 chefs selected among 100 registered. This year, the number of registrations increased to 300, reflecting the growing interest and recognition of the event. “We want the contest to be bigger and better every year. The headquarters will continue to be Querétaro, and we are sure that in the next edition we will see even more countries and an even higher level of competition,” stated Eva García.
For the Tapas Contest of the Americas, which was held for the first time in 2024, the growth has also been notable. Of the nine participating countries In this edition, it is expected that more nations will join in 2025, thus expanding the scope and diversity of the event.
This year’s contest was a great start, but we are convinced that next year will be even better. We want each tapa presented here to tell a story and for each chef to show the best of his culture through his creations,” said Eva García.
Pinchos and Tapas Contest
“The celebration of these contests in Querétaro not only highlights the culinary talent of the participants, but also reinforces the city’s image as a top-level tourist destination. The presence of representatives from Valladolid, Spain, underlines the close collaboration between both destinations and their commitment to promoting gastronomy as a tool for cultural and tourism development,” concluded García Cuervo.
