Considered the best culinary competition for professionals in our country, Cook of the Year Mexico had its grand final for the third edition at Expo Alimentaria Mexico 2012 on June 6 and 7, 2012.

Supported by the most recognized chefs in Mexico, with Enrique Olvera as the president of the jury and joined by the most important companies in the sector such as: Unilever Foodsolutions, RICH´S Products, Electrolux Kitchens and Laundries, ConAgra Foods, Alimentaria Mexico, Esmeralda Cheeses, NH Hotels, Chef Works, Villeroy & Boch, Foies Gras Rougié, La Europea, Practicadesign, the Government of the State of Sinaloa, and the Government of the State of Veracruz, their combined efforts have made Cook of the Year Mexico this edition not only a Culinary Competition but also provided each of the attendees at the semifinals with an enriching culinary experience, thus supporting the growth and dissemination of Mexican cuisine. After a long journey of more than a year and a half, which has taken us throughout the country, with seven semifinals: 1. Semifinal Mexico City September 6 and 7, 2011. Participating states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Michoacán, and Hidalgo. Venue: Superior School of Gastronomy University. 2. Semifinal Monterrey October 18 and 19, 2011. Participating states: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosí. Venue: Culinaria Pangea. 3. Semifinal Riviera Maya November 29 and 30, 2011. Participating states: Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán. Venue: Technological University of Riviera Maya. 4. Semifinal Guadalajara January 24 and 25, 2012. Participating states: Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas. Venue: UNICO of the Autonomous University of Guadalajara. 5. Semifinal Mazatlán February 28 and 29, 2012. Participating states: North BC, South BC, Sonora, and Sinaloa. Venue: Autonomous University of Durango. 6. Semifinal Puebla April 17 and 18, 2012. Participating states: Tlaxcala, Guerrero, Morelos, and Puebla. Venue: Institute of University Studies, IEU. 7. Semifinal Veracruz May 15 and 16, 2012. Participating states: Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. Venue: Culinary Institute of Veracruz. ICUVER. On June 6 and 7 of this year, the Grand Final took place at Expo Alimentaria at Centro Banamex in Mexico City. In it, the following competed: - Winner Semifinal D.F. Edgar Hernández. Banquet Chef of Grupo Coronado. State of Mexico. - Winner Semifinal Monterrey Mario Alberto Chávez.Sous chef at Bistro Bardot. Monterrey; NL. - Winner Semifinal Riviera Maya Xavier Pérez Stone. Chef at "Cocina de Autor" Grand Velas. Riviera Maya; QR - Winner Semifinal Guadalajara Rurik Salazar. Hotel Rosewood. San Miguel Allende; Guanajuato. - Winner Semifinal Mazatlán Ricardo Lujan Parra. Hotel Villa La Estancia. Los Cabos; BCS - Winner Semifinal Puebla Eva María Soto. Pancito Tun-Tun. Puebla; Puebla. - Winner Semifinal Veracruz Rodolfo Castellanos Reyes. Restaurante Origen Oaxaca. Oaxaca; Oax. - Classified as best second place: Semifinal Puebla Pedro José Román Palacios. Mi Sushi. Puebla; Puebla.

Jury

As has occurred throughout all the semifinals, a luxury jury also accompanied us in this final: - Enrique Olvera. President of the jury of Cook of the Year Mexico. - Jair Téllez. - Daniel Ovadia. - Alejandro Ruiz. - Gerardo Vázquez Lugo. - Alejandro Zárate. - Claudio Poblete. - Federico López.

Winners

After two days of hard competition, in which the participants expressed their culinary talent through their dishes, on June 7 at 6:30 p.m. the top three were announced, they were: First place: Xavier Pérez Stone. Chef at “Cocina de Autor” Grand Velas (Riviera Maya; Quintana Roo) Menu prepared: Appetizer 1: Foaxaca. Appetizer 2: Las Flores de Calabaza. Entry: Camarones color Piña. Main dish: Trucha de Piel Negra. Dessert: Camino Achocolatado. Second place: Mario Alberto Chávez. Sous chef at Bistro Bardot (Monterrey; Nuevo León) Menu prepared: Appetizer 1: Ceviche de Pescado. Appetizer 2: Flor de Calabaza. Entry: Crema de Frijol. Main dish: Barbacoa de Res. Dessert: Pastel de Tres Leches. Third place: Pedro José Román Palacios. Chef owner Mi Sushi (Puebla; Puebla) Menu prepared: Appetizer 1: Ravioli de Piña con minilla de Camarones. Appetizer 2: Tostada de Camote con Tinga de pavo. Entry: Sopa de fríjol “Sangre de Toro” con Foie. Main dish: Trucha en adobo con Plátano Macho. Dessert: Cremoso de Mamey con Panqué de Elote.

Prizes

FIRST PLACE Option 1: Help start a business We know that Mexico has unparalleled culinary talent, and that there are talents that, due to lack of resources, have not had the opportunity to express their creations through their own businesses. Therefore, Cook of the Year Mexico in this third edition has wanted to give the winner of this edition the opportunity to: Build a Dream. 1. He will undergo a 3-month training at one of the great restaurants in the country and will be paid 20,000 pesos monthly for his expenses. 2. He will be provided with 290,000 pesos to start a business. Cook of the Year will supervise that this money is used for rent payments, decoration, machinery, etc. 3. A financial entity will be provided to support the winner with financing if he needs more financial support for his new business. 4. A brand will provide him with a wine cellar to start his business. 5. He will receive machinery, and another part will be provided at a preferential price. 6. He will receive support from the media through the PR Department of Cook of the Year Mexico. 7. The entire architectural project for the restaurant will be carried out by Architect Betsy Rojas Cabrera www.crrarquitectura.com rojas.betsy@gmail.com who has successfully completed similar projects. 8. Through the Business Incubator of UAG, the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, he will be supported and advised in: Character strategic: Support for the direction of the company. Access to expert consultants, access to internal consultants. Financial character: Access to guides on sources of investment, references with venture capital companies. Marketing and press: Support with the network of contacts, references with potential clients, opportunity detection, contact with people, companies, and organizations with our personnel's support, internal database services, information and news, and leveraging of "brand image". Human resources: Access to professional consultants affiliated with the University, support in selection and hiring of personnel, internal synergies, and network of contacts. Legal advice Accounting and financial advice Internal management and messaging Possible governmental, institutional, and international support Internal databases and access to those with which collaboration agreements are signed: External institutional supports. For example: Agreements with chambers of commerce; agreements with national governments and institutions; Linking with Funds and Investment Societies; Search for obtaining prices and services under favorable conditions with suppliers; Access to workshops of companies or universities with which collaboration agreements or alliances are signed. Option 02: If already a Chef Owner 1. He will be provided with 350,000 pesos for any item his business needs. It can be for a media campaign, to buy machinery, to buy equipment, to redecorate the place, for expansion, etc. Cook of the Year Mexico will make the investment directly to supervise that it is really used in the business. 2. He will receive support from the media through the PR Department of Cook of the Year Mexico. Option 03: If he has no business or does not want to set one up His prize will be the realization of a training stay with the best chefs in Mexico, being in 3 of the best restaurants in the country for a total duration of 10 months, providing him with a financial compensation for his expenses of 30,000 pesos monthly. SECOND PLACE A cash prize of 50,000 pesos will be awarded. THIRD PLACE: A direct pass to the final of the next edition without going through semifinals will be granted.

Kitchen Assistant

As has happened in each of the semifinals and will occur the same in the Final, the Institute of Spanish Gastronomy (IGE) grants a scholarship for professional internships in Spain for 3 months with paid meals and accommodation for the student who is the assistant of the winning participant. These are some of the restaurants and hotels in agreement with the IGE: - Restaurant La Sucursal (Valencia, 1 Michelin Star), - Restaurant Vertical (Valencia, 1 Michelin Star), - Restaurant El Mercat By Quique Dacosta (Valencia), - Restaurant Martín Berasategui (San Sebastián, 3 Michelin Stars), - Restaurant Celler de Can Roca (Girona, 3 Michelin Stars), - Hotel Hacienda de Benazuza “ Hotel El Bulli “ (Sevilla, 5 Stars and 2 Michelin Stars), - Fiesta Group Hotel (Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, and Menorca, 4 and 5 Stars), - Among others. (Subject to dates and availability of the establishment).

Acknowledgments

We want to sincerely thank all the entities, schools, companies, and all the people who have supported and accompanied us throughout this Third Edition of Cook of the Year Mexico. We want to make a special mention to you, the media, who have supported us and encourage you to continue doing so, in order to find new talents throughout the country and to promote Mexican Gastronomy.

Thank you all very much, and from today… we are preparing the Fourth Edition of Cook of the Year Mexico.

For more information, visit www.concursococinero.com.mx, Join the Cook of the Year group on Facebook in Mexico and on Twitter @cocineromexico