Chapala has been selected to host the closing event of the statewide 4th International Chile en Nogada Festival, scheduled for Saturday, November 9, at the scenic waterfront Malecón.
The gastronomic pavilion, set up just off Avenida Madero, will open at 12:30 p.m., featuring around 65 restaurants from across Mexico and the Ribera de Chapala, along with internationally renowned chefs, including France’s three-star Michelin chef Noel Michelle, Guy Santoro from Mexico City’s Almara restaurant, and Mexican culinary ambassador Jorge Orozco.
Chiles en nogada, an iconic Mexican dish linked to the country’s Independence Day celebrations, originated in Puebla in 1821. The dish consists of a poblano chile stuffed with picadillo—a savory-sweet filling of pork or beef mixed with seasonal fruits like apples, pears, and plantains—topped with a creamy walnut sauce and garnished with parsley and pomegranate seeds to represent the Mexican flag’s colors.
Founded by chef Jorge Orozco, the 2024 Chile en Nogada Festival kicked off in Guadalajara last July, touring prime Jalisco destinations such as the Pueblos Mágicos of Tequila and Tlaquepaque, under the sponsorship of the state Tourism Department. This marks the festival’s first appearance in Chapala.
According to the event program, there will be three tasting sessions of chile en nogada throughout the day: from 1 to 1:30 p.m., a second session at 2 p.m., and a third at 3 p.m. Live entertainment includes performances by the Redes y Cantos Chorus at 1 p.m., the Chapala Harp and Psaltery Ensemble at 2 p.m., and the musical duo Chito y Víctor at 4 p.m. The event will conclude at 7 p.m. with a video-mapping display on the façade of City Hall.