The Gaviota business group celebrated the final of the first edition of the National Contest Sabor a Cuba, at the Topes de Collantes tourist complex, where the absolute champion was chef Richel Pérez Pasos from the GRAND ASTON Varadero beach resort.
According to a publication by TV Yumurí, Pérez Pasos reached the final after winning a local competition in Varadero, defeating Jesús Javier Águila Contreras and Elexis López Espinosa, representatives of the Cayo Santa María and Jardines del Rey destinations, respectively.
The final phase of the contest began on December 9 and concluded this Friday, the 12th. For Gaviota, it represents “one more step” in the promotion and safeguarding of traditional Cuban dishes.
In cited statements, Leandro Acosta Labrada, Director of Communication, stated that the competition is part of Gaviota's communication strategy and aims to reward creativity and the tradition of Cuban cuisine.
He also stated that the event strengthens the gastronomic brand "Nativa" and enhances the culinary experience of the group.
The same report mentions that Cuban Creole cuisine was declared Cultural Heritage of the nation in October 2019, as it is considered part of the national identity.
However, these celebrations stand in stark contrast to a hunger situation on the island within a “moral and social decline” where “survival takes precedence over values.”
More and more families are turning to hunting wild or domestic animals for food as grocery prices rise significantly in online stores.
A recent report from the Food Monitor Program (FMP), an independent food monitoring organization, indicates that the chronic shortage of protein has led to practices such as poaching birds, capturing and selling cats, consuming iguanas, and even fishing with toxic chemicals in rivers.
Hunger not only empties stomachs, but "erodes the values that uphold a society."
The Cuban food crisis, which is worsened by inflation, lack of agricultural production, and institutional disorganization, has pushed entire communities to the brink of survival.
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