A flower blossomed on my plate, assembled from spinach puree, a lobster stock reduction, caviar and delicately sliced Pacific geoduck clams.
This was my first experience plating a dish under the guidance of an expert chef, and it proved to be not only gratifying and meditative but also empowering in some small way. It was exactly the kind of experience today’s travelers crave, and one that Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is cultivating with its new annual food festival, The Essence of Cocina de Autor.
The Essence of Cocina de Autor debuted this spring as a three-day culinary event led by Michelin-starred chef Francisco Sixtos of Cocina de Autor Los Cabos and executive chef Guillaume Morancé of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit. As the world’s only all-inclusive hotel group with dual Michelin recognition, cuisine is a defining pillar of Velas Resorts, and the new event appeals to foodies and discerning travelers alike.
Chef Francisco Sixtos and Chef Guillaume Morancé collaborated to create fresh culinary experiences for travelers.
Credit: 2026 Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit
For the inaugural event, chefs Morancé and Sixtos worked in tandem to curate a relaxed-paced culinary program that afforded guests plenty of time to enjoy all the resort's activities and signature restaurants, in addition to an elevated culinary track.
The chef-led experiences included a sunset canape and cocktails welcome event with a surprise variety show, a hands-on plating workshop with Chef Morancé, an intimate Q&A with the chefs and a bottle of bubbly, and a seven-course Cocina de Autor legacy tasting menu paired with locally sourced Casa Madero wines.
For us, Cocina de Autor is a journey that changes with time, ingredients and one’s philosophy.
The dinner was a limited pop-up of Grand Velas Los Cabos’ Michelin-starred Cocina de Autor restaurant, but one serving a menu that no one else has had before. We learned that because the menu at Cocina de Autor changes every four to six months — even the most beloved dishes cycle off the menu.
“For us, Cocina de Autor is a journey that changes with time, ingredients and one’s philosophy,” Sixtos said. “The seven-course tasting menu represents our best dishes selected from the past five years. It was particularly exciting for me because I got to revisit all my favorite dishes, try them again and remember what inspired me to create them in the first place.”
The event served iconic dishes that have defined the legacy of Cocina de Autor.
Credit: 2026 Grand Velas Riviera NayaritMany of us agreed that the standout dish of the night was a vegetarian one. The yellow corn veloute combined shiitake mushrooms, pecans and a jicama “dumpling” in a velvety soup poured tableside. The dish married the technique and experiences of Chef Sixtos with those of Cocina de Autor’s consulting chef, Sidney Schutt.
During the food festival, one thing was for sure: The chefs did not hold back on high-end ingredients such as lobster, Wagyu, bluefin tuna, truffles and gold leaf flakes. And of course, there was caviar — lots of it. Over the course of three days, I enjoyed no less than four of Morancé and Sixtos’ whimsical caviar presentations, including inside a hollowed-out egg, complemented with truffle mousse, and as a dollop on top of a conch shell, stuffed with blue abalone and served on a bed of ice chips.
The new annual culinary event comes on the heels of a $30 million renovation of the resort’s Master, Parlor and Grand Terrace suites, each spanning more than 1,000 square feet. The updated suites feature elegant natural stone textures, upgraded bedding and balconies with a comfy lounging area that are ideal for watching the sunset or enjoying some of the best in-room dining my family and I have ever experienced. At Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, excellent cuisine and thoughtful hospitality have always been the north star. The Essence of Cocina de Autor makes both impossible to forget.
