Dining Extravaganza Will Be Spiced with a ‘Dead’Art’ Exhibit

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico – September 27, 2012: The Day of the Dead will come alive atHotel Matilda (www.hotelmatilda.com) in a dramatic culinary extravaganza bursting with ancestral flavors orchestrated by Mexico’s queen of culinary theater.

Martha Ortiz, Mexico’s internationally acclaimed chef and cookbook author who is celebrated for creating extraordinary gastronomic events, is coming to Hotel Matilda to prepare a ‘Black Dinner’ for El Día de los Muertos.

“The ingredients of the Black Dinner will be the joy and revelry of The Day of the Dead; the skills of Martha Ortiz, the master of Mexico’s culinary traditions; and the innovative, eclectic spirit of Hotel Matilda,” said Director Bruce James. “Filled with surprises and evoking multiple emotions, this will be a one-of-a-kind event not to be missed.”

For her Black Dinner, served on November 2, 2012, Chef Ortiz will resurrect ancient Mexican dishes and enliven them with her own personal modern twists. Her culinary mission has been to create food that is a taste of the history of Mexico, and her Black Dinner will be a taste of the traditions of El Día de los Muertos. She will set the scene with black tablecloths, numerous candles, and music and special touches that evoke the themes of The Day of the Dead.

Spicing up the theme of the evening will be a “Dead Art” exhibit that will open November 1 and be on display for the entire month at Hotel Matilda. A variety of artists will be displaying their works for the Dead Art exhibit, courtesy of Ricardo Reyes Arte Contemporáneo, a leadng Mexico City art gallery (http://www.ricardoreyesarte.com).

Among the artists will be:

Dulce Pinzón, a native of Mexico City who has been honored with many awards, has been exhibited, published and collected all over the world.
Rigel Herrera, from Guadalajara, has had eight solo shows and been part of 70 collective shows in Mexico, Italy, Spain, USA, England and Ireland.
Víctor Hugo Reyes, from Mexico City, has exhibited works in both solo and collective shows in Costa Rica, Spain, Germany, USA, Hong-Kong, France, Denmark, England and Mexico.
Anne Karin Furunnes, a native of Norway who exhibits her art in many countries;
Gabriel de la Mora, an award-winning artist from Colima;
Gustavo Villegas, a winner of many art competitions who has had expositions worldwide;
Víctor Rodríguez, a native of Mexico who creates his award-winning pieces in Brooklyn, New York.

For more information about the Black Dinner and to make reservations:eventos@hotelmatilda.com.

Martha Ortiz is a Mexican culinary star who celebrates her country’s gastronomy as “a total experience of the senses” that imbues the people with identity. She has achieved success as a writer and impresario as well as in the kitchen: She has two prestigious restaurants in Mexico City, Barroco and Dulce Patria; has penned eight cookbooks on Mexican regional cuisine; has distinguished herself as a food writer and a leading chronicler of her country’s gastronomic history and traditions; and has made her mark producing and promoting culinary events and projects worldwide, including a number of culinary festivals.

El Día de los Muertos is a colorful and festive holiday with roots going back millennia that celebrates the Mexican people’s strong sense of love and respect for their ancestors. Loved ones, who are said to come back to visit on The Day of the Dead, are remembered and honored in numerous ways – from creating altars for them adorned with candles and photos, to special foods and colorful art work, to decorating gravesites with flowers and candles, to picnicking at the cemetery on the favorite foods of their loved ones.

Hotel Matilda is a trend-setting contemporary boutique hotel focused on the artistic and culinary arts. The art-gallery-like ambience, filled with a eclectic collection of works by contemporary artists, is the ideal canvas for the many events the hotel hosts annually, including exhibits by noted artists that are often paired with a gourmet dinner and such special events as the SMART art festival combining art exhibits, dining events, DJ dance party, tequila tastings and more. Enrique Olvera, who is recognized as Mexico’s leading chef as well as one of the best in the world, is collaborating with the hotel to operate its Moxi Restaurant. Chef Olvera’s Mexico City restaurant, Pujol, is #36 on the coveted San Pellegrino list of ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.’

Hotel Matilda is located in the heart of 500-year-old San Miguel de Allende, the crown jewel of Colonial Mexico and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cutting-edge hotel offers a lifestyle-focused guest experience combining an award-winning holistic spa that was named to Condé Nast Traveler’s 2011 Hot List of the world’s top new spas, innovative dining, a popular lounge known for its creative mixology, and a vibrant interior filled with dramatic contemporary art. For more information and reservations: +52 (415) 152-1015; toll free in the U.S./Canada 855-MATILDA (855-628-4532); info@hotelmatilda.com.