On the evening of 2 November, at the opening of Culinary Week 2026 at Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort, chef Luigi Puello served steaks with a Caribbean accent at Santa Fe Steak House — meat marinated in local rum and fresh herbs, where the smoky note of charcoal mingled with the salty freshness of the sea breeze.
Punta Cana lies on the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic, where coral soils and constant trade winds shape the distinctive flavor of local produce: shrimp and langoustines here have a sweeter, almost nutty density than in other Caribbean regions, while tropical fruits and spices absorb mineral notes of limestone.
Zarina Montalvo, the resort's commercial director, explained that the festival is conceived as a meeting point for talents: “It is a platform for discovering flavors, techniques and traditions from different parts of the world.” Ten chefs take part in the program — from Dominicans Hilario Martínez, Benjamín Rodríguez, Ondry Reyes and Wilson Perdono to Italian Liberato De Simone, Mexican Ramsés Núñez and Spaniard Cristóbal Marto.
Every evening, individual cuisines resound in the complex's restaurants: Mexican at Núñez, Italian at De Simone, French at José Lombardero, international at Alejandro Abreu and Caribbean at the local chefs. After dinner, guests move to the Coffee, Rum and Cigar Lounge Bar for a tasting of desserts from Levapan and Puratos and Ron Barceló rum.
The event reflects a modern balance: the resort business attracts international chefs, but keeps a place for Dominican products and techniques that cannot be reproduced without the Caribbean climate and local suppliers.
Guests can attend themed dinners throughout the week at the Santa Fe Steak House, El Coral, La Comedie and Chez Gourmet restaurants; after each meal there are complimentary rum tastings.
In Punta Cana, food becomes not merely a taste but a map of the region, where every plate holds traces of the sea, the soil and the hands of those who cook here.
