Veronica Vega, home cook and Tehuacán, Puebla native, and Damian Escalante, Sous-Chef of Dolores in Brooklyn, were named the winners of New York City’s first Chiles en Nogada Cooking Competition on October 20.
Hosted by Brooklyn-based non-profit organization Mixteca and sponsored by Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal to celebrate the end of chiles en nogada season in Mexico.
The event took place at Platform by the James Beard Foundation, and featured a diverse group of culinary talent — from rising star restaurant chefs to generational home cooks — showcasing their own creative interpretations of chiles en nogada, with each dish pulling inspiration from a specific expression of Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal. Del Maguey’s award-winning portfolio of hand-crafted mezcals is made by indigenous families using traditional and ancestral methods, giving each unique expression its own “taste of place.”
(Mariana Peláez)
The winning dishes — Chile Corazón (Inspiration: Tobala; crafted in the mountains of Oaxaca and known for its sweet and fruity aroma) from Chef Damien Escalante; and Chiles en Nogada (Inspiration: Jabali; crafted from Jabali agave with notes of fresh figs, baked apples and star anise) from Chef Veronica Vega — were selected by a panel of esteemed judges:
- Inés Anguiano – Test Kitchen Manager at Bon Appetít and Milwaukee native who loves all things food. Through her work, she marries her rich Black American culture with her first-generation Mexican heritage.
- Jaeki Cho – Co-founder and face of Righteous Eats, a media platform dedicated to spotlighting immigrant- and minority-owned restaurants through authentic storytelling and community-first content reaching hundreds of thousands of followers.
- Ricardo Muñoz Zurita – Chef, author, and master of chiles en nogada. For forty years, he has carried out research on this historic dish and published “Los Chiles Rellenos en México” in 1996. Chef Muñoz Zurita is famous for his chiles en nogada, which are served in his four restaurants: Azul Condesa, Azul Histórico, and Azulísimo in Mexico City; and Litoral in Cancún.
- Rick Martinez – Chef, writer, and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author behind NYT Bestselling Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico and Salsa Daddy, whose recipes and food content garner more than 2 million monthly views across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Additional competitors included:
- Clarice Lam – globally trained pastry chef, cookbook author, and media personality whose debut book, Breaking Bao, was named a New York Times Best Cookbook of 2024. In 2020, Clarice joined the opening team at Kimika in Nolita, earning a James Beard semifinalist nomination for Best New Restaurant, and has appeared on shows like Beat Bobby Flay and Best Baker in America
- Dish Name: Chiles en Camarones Miel en Nogada (Inspiration: Santo Domingo Albarradas; grown in the high altitude Mixe region of Oaxaca, with a bright, citrus-forward palate)
- Sandra Irais Montes – Born in Puebla, Mexico, and has been passionate about Mexican cuisine and culture since she was a child. She studied secretarial business and currently dedicates herself to reviving traditional recipes, giving them a modern twist.
- Dish Name: Chiles en Nogada Tradicionales (Inspiration: Chichicapa Mezcal; a Oaxacan broad valley mezcal made using wood-fired copper stills with notes of citrus, chocolate, and earth)
- Taylor Threadgill – Chef de Cuisine at Honeysuckle in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she moved her way up the ranks at Spring Place, Red Hook Tavern, and Oxomoco, working under Michelin-trained chefs. Taylor’s cooking style takes inspiration from her Southern family lineage, while also incorporating techniques learned during her years in Italian and French kitchens.
- Dish Name: Madrecuixe Skewer (Inspiration: Madrecuixe; a silky, elegant mezcal with a savory profile of dried herbs, nuts, and fresh papaya
Guests who attended the celebration included: Yara Herrera (Hellbender), Robyn Tse (Santo Taco), Rafa Garcia Febles (Kabawa), Jeanine Royce (BKK New York), Tan Khantachavana (BKK New York), Emir Dupeyron (Dolores), Leanne Favre (Dolores), Fany Gerson (Fan Fan Doughnuts), Matthew Kovalsky (Jose Andres), Jean Ramos (@jeaneatz), Matt Bruck (@mattbruck), Cami Perez Downey (@camifromtheinternet), Madeline Marcella (@crumbsofnyc), Max Abrams (@maxnotbeer), Aaron Ong (@fotographeats), Sandy (@fiyahfeasts), Annis Kamara (@anniskamara), Riana Singh (@rianasingh_), Margaret C (@savorysweetlive), Kayla Shapiro (@nycgirl.com), Jake Aronskind (@foodystars)
