Guatemala national round

Guatemala showcases the richness of its culinary identity

As the cradle of the Mayan civilization, Guatemala possesses a culinary culture deeply rooted in its history, exceptional biodiversity, and vibrant traditions. By joining the Bocuse d’Or family, Guatemala affirms its ambition to share with the world a cuisine that blends ancestral heritage with contemporary expression.

Corn, beans, cacao, tomatoes, chilies, tropical fruits, and native herbs form the foundation of Guatemalan cuisine — a culinary palette as diverse as the landscapes that produce it. Each dish tells the story of a region, a memory, a community. Specialties like pepian, kak’ik, or tamales reflect a cuisine that is generous, colorful, and deeply symbolic.

Today, a new generation of Guatemalan chefs is reimagining these culinary traditions through innovative and refined approaches. The national selection for the Bocuse d’Or serves as a platform for transmission, creativity, and the emergence of a dynamic culinary scene.

Driven by the desire to engage with the world’s great gastronomies, Guatemala’s participation in the Bocuse d’Or sends a powerful message: gastronomy is not only a form of artistic expression, but also a vehicle for cultural pride and international recognition.

The Bocuse d'Or Guatemala took place on February 22, 2025

For the theme each competitor had to utilize Guatemalan red snapper and a surprise ingredient called manzana rosa. The chefs from Quetzaltenango, who will represent Guatemala at the Bocuse d'Or Americas 2026, presented a menu featuring a fillet of snapper with chipilin mousseline, prawns, maria luisa and lemon velouté, potato pache, colourful ravioli and spring onions with peas.

In addition to chef Mauricio Cum and his commis Edgar Hernández, other participants included chef Daniela Ascencio and her commis Lua Giselle Pérez, as well as chef Hermann Theilheimer and his commis Jonathan Esquit.

The judges, Guatemalan chefs Mirciny Moliviatis, Diego Tellez and Rodrigo Aguilar, assessed the taste, creativity, techniques, textures, precision and presentation of the menus.

Mauricio Cum wins the Bocuse d'Or Guatemala

Mauricio Cum is originally from Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez, but moved to Quetzaltenango at the age of 3. He earned a degree in Business Administration from Rafael Landívar University and completed a Master’s in Culinary Arts and Kitchen Management in Spain. He began studying cooking during his university years and participated in several competitions. He was one of the winners of Mirciny Moliviatis’s “Desafío Culinario” program in 2014; he won first place in the Mario Campollo Cup in 2015 and second place in the Jade Cup in 2016.

The excellence of the Moliviatis program opened many doors for him, including the opportunity to work at Sud 777 in Mexico. He also worked in restaurants in Costa Rica and at a food industry company in Spain. He is the founder of Pick a Poke, a restaurant in Quetzaltenango that offers dishes made with local products.

His commis, Edgar Hernandez, is a 20-year-old young chef who runs Magna, a signature cuisine restaurant in Quetzaltenango. This culinary space offers an international menu featuring dishes prepared with local ingredients and innovative techniques.

Would you like more information about this team? Please contact [email protected].