Press Release
Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection Unveils Cabo’s Most Dramatic Culinary Stage
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO (September 6, 2018) – Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection will unveil the most dramatic dining destination in Cabo San Lucas, with the November 2018 opening of the fully reimagined Cocina del Mar restaurant, bar and lounge. Perched atop striking cliffs overlooking the resort’s two private beaches, the new Cocina del Mar will take guests on a culinary journey through the Sea of Cortez and Cabo’s verdant farms. A new menu by Executive Chef Guillermo Gomez will weave together the region’s freshest seafood with creative twists on traditional Baja flavors. Guests will enter a buzzing lantern-lit bar and lounge that will invite them to linger over hand-crafted cocktails before sauntering down to dinner above a cascade of oceanfront terraces kissed by white-capped waves. An outdoor exhibition kitchen will be alive with energy as guests engage with chefs and explore bites of coastal Baja cuisine and regionally inspired cocktails beside a glowing wood fired oven.
“There is a natural vitality that comes from being surrounded by the sea and combined with our dramatic clifftop location the setting emanates an unmistakable energy that we have captured in the redesign of Cocina del Mar,” said Marc Rodriguez, General Manager, Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection. “From the sounds of waves crashing against the rocks and lively music flowing throughout the bar and lounge, to spirited conversations and bold dishes bursting with regional Baja flavors, Cocina del Mar is a truly magical seaside experience.”
Executive Chef Guillermo Gomez designed the new menu with a focus on sustainably-sourced ingredients and a passion for sharing the freshest seafood from the Sea of Cortez and the bounty of diverse produce available from local farms such as Tiki Cabo Organic Farm in Miraflores, Family Verdugo, Baja Farm Fresh in Pescadero and Granja El Carrizal. Signature dishes include Salt Crusted Totoaba Fish prepared in the restaurant’s wood fired oven with confit tomato, onion, corn and kale and Stone Steamed Lobster Tail with preserved lemon mojo and local herbs. Fresh sea-fare will be complemented by Baja-inspired cocktails including The Beach Drink, a sweet and refreshing libation with mezcal, fresh watermelon juice, basil leaves and cucumber and Café de las, a traditional Mexican cocktail with spiced coffee, mezcal and marzipan cream.
“Jacques Cousteau called the Sea of Cortez ‘the world’s aquarium’,” said Guillermo Gomez, Executive Chef, Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection. “I am excited to take guests on an ocean voyage with creative twists on traditional Baja dishes set in our stunning oceanside setting. Our new Cocina del Mar will nourish guests’ body and spirit with the bounty of the sea and local farms.”
The Sea of Cortez influence will flow from the new menu to the restaurant’s design concept, created by Milo Garcia of Los Angeles-based Studio Mai. Drawing inspiration from the ocean and seaside culture of Los Cabos, the earthy palette of the décor, furnishings and table settings will be in harmony with the natural hues of Cabo from the rocky cliffs to the sand. Garcia and his team traveled extensively within a 500-mile radius of the resort to source regional materials including stone quarried from a nearby mountain top, natural woods such as Parota and Jatoba, and handmade textiles. Original tableware pieces were created by local designer Lorna Hankins of La Candelaria, a studio in a small mountain ranch village between Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos.
“Our vision was to create a central gathering place where the surrounding ocean is a natural extension of the restaurant and bar, and where private terraces seem to flow right into the Sea of Cortez,” said Milo Garcia, Founder, Studio Mai. “The new design invokes the energy of the ocean tide, ebbing and flowing with bustling activity and memorable connections.”
Guests can continue to immerse themselves in land and sea adventures through new culinary events and experiences at Esperanza including digging for chocolata clams, diving for sea urchins, seaside clambakes with local artisan breweries and pop-up winemaker dinners in the resort’s agave garden.
Follow Esperanza on Facebook at facebook.com/EsperanzaResort and on Twitter and Instagram at @EsperanzaResort.
About Auberge Resorts Collection
Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs. While each Auberge property possesses a unique individuality, all share a crafted approach to luxury that is expressed through captivating design, exceptional cuisine and spas, and gracious yet unobtrusive service. Properties in the Auberge Resorts Collection include: Auberge du Soleil, Calistoga Ranch and Solage, Napa Valley; Esperanza and Chileno Bay, Los Cabos, Mexico; Hotel Jerome, Aspen; Malliouhana, Anguilla; Nanuku, Fiji; Madeline Hotel and Element 52, Telluride, Colorado; Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica; Mukul, Guacalito, Nicaragua; Auberge Beach Residences and Spa, Fort Lauderdale (opening Autumn 2018); The Lodge at Blue Sky, Park City, Utah (opening Spring 2019); Bishop’s Lodge, Santa Fe, New Mexico (opening Summer 2019); Mauna Lani, Hawaii (opening late 2019); Commodore Perry Estate, Austin and Susurros del Corazon, Punta de Mita, Mexico (opening 2020), with several others in development. For more information about Auberge Resorts Collection, please visit www.aubergeresorts.com. Follow Auberge Resorts Collection on Facebook at facebook.com/AubergeResorts and on Twitter and Instagram at @AubergeResorts.
About The Friedkin Group
The Friedkin Group is comprised of a consortium of automotive, hospitality, entertainment, golf and adventure companies. These organizations include: Gulf States Toyota, GSFSGroup, GSM, US AutoLogistics, Ascent Automotive Group, Auberge Resorts Collection, Imperative Entertainment, 30WEST, NEON, Diamond Creek Golf Club, Congaree and Legendary Adventures. The Friedkin Group is led by Chairman and CEO Dan Friedkin. For more information, visit www.friedkin.com.
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