Baja California is not a gastronomic trend or a recent revelation. It is the result of a long, collective process deeply rooted in the territory.
In the north-western corner of Mexico, between the sea, the desert and the border, one of the country’s most dynamic and renowned culinary scenes has taken root, with an increasingly solid international reputation.
Baja California cuisine is defined by its direct relationship with its origins: seafood, local agriculture, seasonality, wine, and a contemporary approach that engages with tradition without replicating it. More than a unique style, it is a sum of voices that have managed to build an identity based on collaboration, respect for the environment, and a clear awareness of the place they inhabit.
This process has led Baja California to position itself as a benchmark for haute cuisine in Mexico and America, with sustained recognition from the Michelin Guide, one of the most influential gastronomic references globally.
Baja California at FITUR Madrid 2026
As part of FITUR 2026, Baja California is coming to Madrid to share this story from experience. On Thursday, 22 January, chef Paco Roncero’s restaurant, located in the iconic Casino de Madrid, will host an exclusive dinner showcasing the culinary essence of the state through a menu created especially for the occasion.
The evening will bring together a group of chefs whose careers have been instrumental in establishing Baja California cuisine as one of the most influential in Mexico. Each represents a different perspective on the region, but they all share the same roots: respect for local produce, seasonality and contemporary cuisine deeply connected to its surroundings.
Among them are Benito Molina and Solange Muris, at the helm of Manzanilla in Ensenada, considered key figures in the Baja California gastronomic movement and internationally recognised for their focus on produce, sustainability and sense of place. Sheyla Alvarado, chef at Lunario in the Guadalupe Valley, has stood out for her sensitive and precise approach, anchored in local ingredients and recognised by the Michelin Guide. From Tijuana, Miguel Ángel Guerrero, founder of La Esperanza, is a key figure in the promotion of regional cuisine, with a career that has helped position Baja California on the national and international gastronomic scene.
Adria Marina Montaño, head of Georgina, joins them, whose entrepreneurial and contemporary vision builds a bridge between tradition and new culinary narratives within the state.
The experience will be accompanied by premium wines from Baja California, particularly from the Guadalupe Valley, reinforcing the link between gastronomy, landscape and culture that defines the region as one of the most important food and wine destinations on the continent.
A scene recognised by the Michelin Guide
Baja California’s presence in the Michelin Guide Mexico, since its first edition in 2024, has confirmed a process that had been developing for years. In the 2025 edition, the state has nine Michelin Stars and more than 35 restaurants included in the guide, as well as recognitions such as the Green Star for sustainability and the Bib Gourmand distinction for quality and value for money.
Notably, the Guadalupe Valley has established itself as the region with the highest number of Michelin stars per capita in the Americas, a fact that highlights the concentration of talent, produce and gastronomic vision in a relatively small area that nevertheless has enormous international influence.
This recognition is not based on isolated cases or individual figures, but rather on a collectively constructed scene, where chefs, producers, farmers and winegrowers have worked together to raise the culinary standard of the region without losing authenticity.
Beyond the kitchen
Today, the influence of the Michelin Guide transcends the strictly culinary and has become a benchmark of trust for travellers around the world. In this context, Baja California presents itself as a destination that offers much more than excellence at the table: unique landscapes, a world-class wine culture and a gastronomic narrative deeply connected to its history, geography and community.
Baja California’s participation in FITUR Madrid 2026 is an invitation to discover a region where cuisine is not just an isolated attraction, but a living expression of identity, collaboration and vision for the future.
Source: INERZIA Comunicación
