David Quevedo, the Mexican who won first place in the World Spanish Tapas Contest

Published November 25th, 2021

Although David Quevedo has a long professional career, his most recent achievement was to be crowned winner of the World Tapas Competition in the city of Valladolid, with a dish called ceremonial chili.

Born in San Luis de la Paz, Guanajuato, Quevedo was interested in becoming a professional in the culinary arts having already experienced the trade in his youth. He obtained a degree in gastronomy in 2010 and from there, his interest in rescuing and disseminating the traditional cuisine of his state moved him to transcend borders.

With Guanajuato tattooed in his veins
Nopaleras, chiles, insects, wild herbs, and what he calls “cuisine of lack” are some of the elements Quevedo took advantage of to design a very Mexican tapa.

The ceremonial chile is a small snack comprising a dried chile stuffed with stewed wild rabbit. It is wrapped in a small ceremonial tortilla traditional to the Otomí community that still lives in the municipality of Comonfort; this technique consists of printing different figures and symbols on the surface with muicle, a natural dye, to bless the food and connect with the divinities.

The taquito itself has a unique appearance and is intimately linked to the rural customs of some Guanajuato communities. It was presented by a catrina made of papier-mâché, a popular craft in San Miguel de Allende, and thus David Quevedo won the world tapas contest.

Chefs from Panama, Ukraine, Ireland, Portugal, Argentina, the United States, Ecuador, Canada, Denmark, India, United Arab Emirates, and Japan participated in the World Tapas Competition. The first place was won by David Quevedo from Mexico and he takes home, in addition to his pride, 10,000 euros. Second place went to Emilio Martín, from Valladolid, and Juan Pablo Holguín, from Ecuador, won third place.

From rural to contemporary

Although David Quevedo always had a particular interest in cooking, it was not until 2010 that he obtained a degree in gastronomy and began his professional career.

He did his internship mainly in Spain and Mexico, so he has a deep knowledge of both cuisines. He went from Mesoamerican techniques to the execution of avant-garde cuisine in no time because of his effort and talent.

He was a key player in the Guanajuato ¡Sí Sabe! the project, which sought to position the state as a gastronomic destination despite not having the context of other states. He also promoted the gastronomic culture in Guanajuato’s vineyards and tasted success when he became head of the kitchen of the wine product Caminos D’Vinos.

Today, Quevedo has a new challenge: to position the San Miguel Vineyard in the municipality of Comonfort. The proposal is to showcase the region’s ancestral ingredients and techniques, as well as to empower the community through fair trade and synergy with traditional cooks. The chef has also positioned himself as a guardian of the state’s traditions.

Thus, ingredients such as escamoles, honey ants, muicle, and chilcuague have a chance to shine in the world.