The Santo Domingo Meli? Hotel was the big winner of the 25th National Gastronomy Festival held at the V Centenario InterContinental Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday. Executive Chef Pedro N??ez was the proud winner of 15 first places for the city hotel. The Meli??s next door neighbor, the Renaissance Jaragua was the runner-up winning 12 awards. Boca Chica Resort followed with nine, of which seven were won on the first evening. The host hotel, the V Centenario won six trophies. Hotel Santo Domingo and Pola Supermarket won three each, followed by Hotel Delta and Exquisiteces Virginia that won 2 each. Pasteler?a Suiza Le Monde and El Chef each won one award. The Gastronomy Festival is the most imortant held in the DR. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, the National Association of Hotels & Restaurants, the Hotels Association of Santo Domingo, the Association of Chefs of the DR and the Caribbean Traveling Network, a travel television channel. On the first evening, the best in soups, appetizers, salted dishes, meats, Dominican cuisine, rices, and pastries won prizes. On the second evening, salads, pastas, poultry, fish, seafood, vegetable, sweet dishes and Dominican sweets were judged. At this year?s event, Sim?n Romero, of the Ministry of Tourism, was honored for his many years at the helm of the event.
