October 10, 2008 04:40 PM Eastern Time 

Rums of Puerto Rico Shakes up the Inaugural Food Network New York Wine & Food Festival with Celebrated Chefs Wilo Benet and Mario Pagán

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The culinary capital of the Caribbean is coming to the culinary event of the season as Rums of Puerto Rico and Chefs Wilo Benet and Mario Pagán make their debut at the inaugural Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. From the sizzling flavors of rum-inspired dishes to cool rum cocktails, die-hard New Yorkers and visiting foodies alike will have a unique opportunity to meet these award-winning chefs and sample the flavors of Puerto Rico that only these lauded chefs can bring.

Rum continues to increase in popularity for cocktails as well as a key ingredient in various dishes from appetizers to entrées to desserts.

Rums of Puerto Rico is proud to host Chef Wilo Benet and Chef Mario Pagán, two of the culinary world’s brightest stars, at this year’s Food Network New York Wine & Food Festival.

Chef Benet is the President and owner of Museum Restaurant Group and Museum Catering Services, as well as the chef and owner of Pikayo and Payá restaurants in Puerto Rico. This master chef will soon open his third venture, Varita Wood Burning Rotisserie, his latest casual dining concept featuring rustic and comfort foods. Pikayo was voted one of the “100 Best Restaurants in the World” by Condé Nast Traveler. He has been featured on the Food Network and The Martha Stewart Show and is the author of the recently released bestseller “Puerto Rico True Flavors”, which due to the huge success was recently translated into Spanish. Chef Benet has received a myriad of awards and recognitions from the James Beard Foundation, National Restaurant Association and Caribbean Culinary Award of Excellence among many others. This summer he was chosen as a Judge for Bravo TV’s hugely successful reality show Top Chef. For Chef Benet there is an intimate connection between the food and the rums of Puerto Rico. “Puerto Ricans have been cooking with rum for generations, so it’s exciting to see the ways in which rum is starting to pay a role in launching Puerto Rico as a gastronomic capital of the Caribbean. Its versatility has no limits!”, Benet declared.

At this year’s Food Network New York City Wine & Festival Chef Benet will dazzle crowds with rum-inspired dishes such as Traditional Root Vegetable combined with “Serenata de Bacalao”, Boiled Eggs or Red Onion and “Recao”. He will also be preparing Pumpkin Ginger Soup with Peas, Crab “Salmorejo” and Grated Chorizo.

Also in attendance will be Puerto Rican superstar Chef Mario Pagán. As the chef and owner of two of Puerto Rico’s most renowned fine-dining establishments, Chayote and LemonGrass, Chef Pagán has garnered an astonishing series of accolades including having won Puerto Rico’s prestigious El Nuevo Día’s “Silver and Bronze Fork” award every year since 1998. He has also garnered acclaim from international media including Travel & Leisure, Food and Wine, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Esquire, The Boston Globe, The New York Times and The Miami Herald. “The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is an excellent opportunity to show the world the cutting edge cuisine that we are creating in Puerto Rico,” said Pagán.

Rums of Puerto Rico kicked off the weekend with an ultra-chic opening party at the Gansevoort Hotel in the hip Meatpacking District. This rooftop event featured tastes of Puerto Rico—both the cuisine and the rums that play an integral part of the food and flavor of Puerto Rico. A unique CD “Music to Drink Rum With” was created by renowned Puerto Rican DJ Candela, especially for this event and will be given throughout the Festival to all attendees as a special memento. A special drink menu featuring cocktails made with Rums of Puerto Rico were designed for the event, featuring both classic and innovative concoctions such as Lavender Tonic, Don Q Mojito, Q Ba Libre, Don Q Punch and Don Q Grand Añejo served in a snifter.

Chefs Benet and Pagán will be available for interviews throughout the weekend with both chefs appearing and cooking in the Puerto Rico tent on Friday, October 10, from 2:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. Subsequently, both chefs will be presenting at the Grand Tastings Tents from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with Chef Pagán offering his take on Puerto Rican cuisine on Saturday, and Chef Benet showing his skills at the Grand Tastings on Sunday.

“Puerto Rico is the rum capital of the world boasting the highest quality and offering more versatility for mixing than any other spirit, both as an ingredient for cocktails and for cooking,” commented Karen Garnik, chief marketing officer for Rums of Puerto Rico.