AREQUIPA, Peru – On Wednesday, September 11th, the 14th edition of the International “Varadero Gourmet” Festival began at the renowned beach resort on the island, with the participation of nine countries and 27 exhibitors. 322z68
The event, which the Cuban government promotes as a way to highlight fine dining and gastronomic innovation, is being held against the backdrop of severe food shortages and insecurity affecting much of the population.
Jorge Luis Acosta, president of the organizing committee, explained that entities representing Venezuela, China, Spain, Chile, , the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, and Cuba are attending the culinary event, which ran until the 13th at the Plaza América Convention Center in Varadero.
In statements quoted by Prensa Latina, Acosta, who is also the general director of the Palmares extra-hotel company, noted that another goal of the event is to seek sustainability in services by maintaining quality and preserving identity in the preparation of dishes.
When the festival’s agenda was initially announced last month, Cuban state media reported that the program would include conferences, exhibitions, and culinary competitions addressing topics such as “kitchen changes for preservation,” “tradition and fine dining,” “artistic cuisine,” and “knowledge of alternative cuisine.”
Among the competitive activities are categories for best chef in starter, main course, and dessert, best sommelier for pairings, best waiter, best culinary team, as well as cocktail competitions in classic and flair (freestyle) styles.
A festival in contrast to Cuban reality
The celebration of this fine dining festival in the midst of the country’s deep food shortages has generated criticism and controversy, but it is not the first time the Cuban regime has organized such events despite the worsening living conditions since 2021.
In May of this year, the Ministry of the Food Industry (MINAL, by its Spanish acronym) organized the Fourth International Fair of Food, Beverages, Packaging, and Food Technology at Pabexpo in Havana. This event was held while the majority of Cubans face difficulties accessing basic foodstuffs. Similarly, in February, the fifth edition of the culinary festival “Cuba Sabe 2024” was inaugurated at the Iberostar Grand Packard Hotel in Havana, another event noted for its disconnect from the daily reality of the population.
Another example of this contrast was the celebration in November 2023 of “Le Dîner en Blanc” (DEB) in Havana, an annual gourmet dinner held for over 30 years in various cities around the world. The event featured dishes like lobster, pasta, and lamb, in a country where many citizens can barely obtain the basics for their daily meals.
These events are perceived by Cubans as an insult, as most of the population must make great efforts and “juggle” to put food on the table.
The severity of the food situation in Cuba has been documented by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH), which in July presented a report stating that the food crisis is the main social problem in the country. According to the report, 72% of respondents consider this the most urgent issue, highlighting that seven out of ten Cubans have skipped breakfast, lunch, or dinner due to a lack of money or food shortages. Only 15% of the population has managed to eat three meals a day without interruptions.
In a previous analysis published in April, the OCDH emphasized that slaves in Cuba during the 18th and 19th centuries had a superior and more abundant diet than today’s Cubans. Based on research by historian Manuel Moreno Fraginals, the study notes that slaves consumed daily half a pound of beef, dried meat, or codfish, 500 grams of cornmeal, sweet potatoes, cassava, squash, and plantain mash.
The critical food situation on the island has drawn international attention. In June 2024, the NGO Food Monitor Program, along with the OCDH, raised the alarm about the crisis after Cuba was included for the first time in a UNICEF report on child malnutrition. This reflects growing concern about the deteriorating living conditions on the island. Moreover, in May, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights (REDESCA, by its Spanish acronym) expressed alarm over the worsening food insecurity in Cuba. They pointed out that this situation disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, adolescents, and people with chronic illnesses.
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