Night of the Day of the Dead

​This is the first year that Kansas City has hosted the national convention for the Mexican Restaurant Association, a three-year-old non-profit organization whose mission is “to integrate all Mexican restaurants while promoting the vast diversity of Mexican gastronomy and culture.”
Kicking off the three-day conference was an opening night party last night at Club 15-Twenty, celebrating El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead or All-Souls Day) with a buffet created by many of the visiting chefs. They prepared tamales, pipian, mole poblano, ceviche and tacos Dorados at the Guadalupe Center and brought the steaming trays of food over to the nightclub.

​Among the parties celebrities were noted author Jose “Pepe” Iturriaga, one of the great culinary writers in Mexico and the creator of the definitive guide to Mexican street food. But most of last night’s guests were local restaurateurs, including El Patron owner Arturo Cabral and his mother Estela (right), Maria Chaurand of the popular La Fonda El Taquito, and Arturo Romo of the Taqueria Mexico mini-empire.

Today is the official launch of Tri-National Mexican Gastronomy Week, with several lectures by visiting chefs, including Alma Cervantes Cota from Morelia, Mexico and Felipe Gaytan from Dallas.

The conference continues through Wednesday afternoon, with most events taking place at the Guadalupe Center.