From our friends at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana...
Chef José Andrés Embraces Traditional Mexican Holiday with Inspired Dishes
Chef José Andrés and his culinary team at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana are proud to announce the eighth annual celebration of Day of the Dead, from October 20 - November 2. Dating back to the time of the Aztecs, this Mexican holiday celebrates and honors friends and family members who have departed with offerings of food, drinks and gifts. This year, Oyamel will honor Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, widely known as El Santo, Mexico’s legendary luchador wrestler, folk icon and actor. He is credited with popularizing professional wrestling, and is commonly portrayed as a symbol of justice in his many films and comic books. He died in 1984, at the age of 66, a week after removing his famous silver mask on live television. His funeral remains among the most significant and ceremonious services in Mexican History.
Fresh off a trip to Mexico, Oyamel’s Head Chef Colin King has created Day of the Dead menu specials inspired by El Santo’s favorite dishes. In addition, Oyamel’s Beverage Manager Jasmine Chae, has developed an array of cocktails that honor El Santo’s popular movies. A kickoff celebration will take place on Monday, October 20th, at Oyamel from 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM with official sponsor, El Luchador Tequila, which will be making its debut at this event. This unique spirit was created by David Ravandi, founder of 123 Organic Tequila, and inspired by the famed, masked luchadores of Mexico. Guests will be able to enjoy a live band and sample of the upcoming specials and cocktails made with El Luchador Tequila.
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| El Santo! |
What: Day of the Dead Kick-Off Celebration
When: Monday, October 20th, specials remaining available from 10/20 - 11/2
Time: 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Where: Oyamel, 401 7th Street NW, Washington D.C.
Ticketing: Tickets are $60 and can be purchased via nvite: nvite.co/oyameldotd
For lunch and dinner, Oyamel will feature dishes ($10 - $15) such as: Pescado Veracruz, wild-sourced fish in a Veracruz-style sauce of tomato confit, caramelized pear onions, garlic, capers and olives; Huatape de Hongos, a green chileatole-style of wild, foraged mushrooms served over an herbaceous sauce of epazote, sorrel and jalapeño; Sopa de Fideos, a rich tomato broth with toasted vermicelli and mixed seasonal vegetables topped with fried Chile Pasilla de Oaxaca; Ancas de Rana en Mole Verde, frog legs served over a green mole of tomatillos and serrano chilies; Puerco en Chile Morita, local pork spare ribs braised and lacquered in a salsa of chipotle chile morita; Mole de Olla con Rebo de Res, braised local oxtail and vegetable stew served with pickled vegetables; Bistec con Pasilla, local hanger steak over a sauté of cactus and seasonal squash mixed with salsa pasilla negra, finished with an egg and pickled chile dressing; and a sweet finish of Arroz con Leche.
To pair with the festive food items, Chae has created a range of cocktails enthused by some of the most notable pop-culture movies of El Santo. The specialty drinks ($12-$14) include: El Santo contra los Zombies, made with El Luchador Organic Tequila, 123 Organic Tequila Blanco, 123 Organic Tequila Añejo, D’Aristi, orange liqueur, orange, lemon and pomegranate; and The Witches Attack, made with El Luchador Blanco Organic Tequila, grapefruit-lavender mint syrup and soda.
About Oyamel:
Under the direction of Chef José Andrés, Oyamel Cocina Mexicana is an award-winning restaurant located in the heart of the Penn Quarter neighborhood in Washington D.C. Drawing on pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern traditions, the menu, executed by chef Colin King, reflects Mexico’s rich culinary heritage combined with current urban fare of Mexico City.
About José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup:
ThinkFoodGroup, founded by award-winning chef José Andrés and his partner Rob Wilder, is the creative team responsible for renowned dining concepts in Washington, DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Puerto Rico, including minibar by José Andrés, Jaleo at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS Hotel Beverly Hills and South Beach. The company also oversees all of the creative and educational efforts for José Andrés, an internationally recognized culinary innovator, passionate advocate for food and hunger issues, author, educator, and television personality. Named to Time’s “100 Most Influential” list and awarded Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation, Andrés is credited with creating the “Spanish food boom” in America. He is the Dean of the Spanish Studies program at the International Culinary Center, and was host and executive producer of Made in Spain on PBS. His cookbooks include Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America. Andrés teaches at Harvard and George Washington University. In late 2010, José Andrés and ThinkFoodGroup launched World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit which aims to feed and empower vulnerable people in humanitarian crises around the world. For more information, visit www.thinkfoodgroup.com
