Arcos Dorados, franchisee of McDonald’s in the Latin America and Caribbean region, has announced celebrity Chef Mario Pagán from Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef: Season 3,” will be creating gourmet dishes made exclusively with McDonald’s U.S.V.I. ingredients.
His original creations can be tasted in the cooking demo segment at the Banco Popular’s Ultimate Flavors of the Islands event, a one-night culinary event hosted on May 24 at the Marriott’s Frenchman’s Reef, where locally, regionally and nationally recognized chefs will all participate.
During Chef Pagan’s cooking demo, he will be deconstructing ingredients from McDonald’s U.S. Virgin Islands core menu items and transforming them into gourmet style tapas. Chef Pagán will be using McDonald’s filet-o-fish, and angus burger to create Chipolte filet-o-fish tacos, and angus terrine with honey-crystalized bacon and Coca-Cola parmesan cream.
His cooking demo will offer an experience similar to the McGourmet concept, an original Arcos Dorados event that has been celebrated across Latin America since 2004, where renowned chefs from the region create gourmet menus, made only from the high quality ingredients that are used at McDonald’s kitchens.
In the past, Chef Pagán has collaborated with Arcos Dorados and McDonald’s in the design of four McGourmet dinner menu’s in Puerto Rico. This will be his first experience cooking for McDonald’s on St. Thomas. "I am excited to have the opportunity to collaborate once again with Arcos Dorados. They allow me to unleash my expertise and creativity to showcase a new culinary offer, combining textures and flavors that will surely delight everyone at the ‘Ultimate Flavors of the Caribbean’ event,", said Pagán.
He is the chef/owner of two of Puerto Rico’s finest restaurants — Laurel: Kitchen Art: Bar and Lemongrass Pan Asian Latino. Before opening his restaurants, the chef attended the prestigious Johnson and Wales University of Culinary Arts in Bay Harbor, Florida. Chef Pagán has earned Puerto Rico’s coveted "Silver and Bronze Fork" awards and has also received mention in various periodicals and trade publications such as: Travel & Leisure, Food and Wine, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Esquire, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Daily News, Wine and Food Society, and The Miami Herald.
As part of its focus on nutrition and quality, the McDonald’s booth at the event will be handing out "600 calories or less" menu recommendations in the form of a colorful flyer that includes adult and children lunch and dinner meals, beverages and even condiments. The menu options are recommended by a certified nutritionist.
All proceeds from the event will go towards local programs that fund student education and programs in the culinary arts through the U.S.V.I. Department of Education. For more information on Ultimate Flavors of the Islands, contact flavorsvi@gmail.com or visit www.flavorsbancopopular.com.
