Since you are here. Did you know?…

That a 10-kilometre-wide asteroid hit the Mérida region 66 million years ago, driving 75% of Earth's species to extinction, including the dinosaurs, allowing mammals to rise as the dominant class on earth? It is known worldwide as the Chicxulub Impactor.
That chefs Miriam Peraza and Roberto Solís are guest stars in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles series?
That Mérida is surrounded by UNESCO’s world heritage Mayan archaeological sites of Chichén Itzá and Uxmal?
That the FAO has recently recognized the Milpa Maya as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)?
That corn is regarded as the central crop for the ancient Mayans, the first civilization to live in Mérida? According to them, all humans are the “children of corn”.
That some of the traditional products of the land include some of the hottest chilli peppers and the outstanding stingless bee?

What makes the Creative Field of Gastronomy special in Mérida?

Mérida and Yucatán Region gastronomy have had the creativity, throughout generations, to amalgamate and integrate the highly diverse Mayan, European, Caribbean, North American and Middle Eastern culinary traditions into a multicultural, clearly recognizable gastronomy. Traditional Mexican Cuisine Mexican cuisine was recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. This place of honour is shared only with the Mediterranean diet and the social uses of the French and Japanese cuisines.

How the designation is being managed?

Government

Gastronomy traditions

On Mondays Mérida families eat a dish called Frijol con Puerco (Pork with beans). This dish is closely related to the Brazilian Feijoada.

On all souls day, and during that precise week of the year, people of Mérida and Yucatán region have the Hanal Pixán which translates from Maya language as “Food for the Souls.” It takes place October 31 – November 2, and normally, Mérida is a great place to watch, join, and understand the festivities. The traditional food of that week includes famous Mucbilpollo, a linguistic portmanteau of Muc, “buried” and Bi, “baked” from Maya; and Pollo, “chicken” from Spanish. Pib is the Maya name of the underground oven used to cook this and other regional dishes. The chicken is cooked in corn dough, wrapped in banana leaves, and is not unlike a Tamal.