Visit the Pavilion Guanajuato ¡Sí Sabe!

With an Otomi ceremonial act, Governor Libia Dennise Garcia Munoz Ledo marked the opening of this space in the Leon State Fair that brings together 24 traditional cooks from the seven tourist regions of Guanajuato

Leon/Gto News

With a blessing in the Otomi language, the Guanajuato Pavilion ¡Si Sabe! was inaugurated, the heart of ancestral gastronomy that, for the first time, is part of the Leon State Fair 2026.

The opening began with a symbolic ceremony led by Consuelo Benancio, a traditional cook from Comonfort, who offered a blessing in the Otomi language (Hñähñu) and presented the Governor with a ceremonial seal, a symbol of protection, gratitude, and community ties. Afterward, the Governor cut the ribbon and wished the participants success in their sales, acknowledging the value of the work of those who preserve the culinary heritage of Guanajuato.

Driven by the People’s Government Vision, through the Secretary of Tourism and Identity, the Guanajuato ¡Si Sabe! Pavilion emerges as an unprecedented space that recognizes traditional cuisine as identity, memory, and collective pride. For the first time, cooks from the seven tourist regions come together in one place to share ingredients, techniques, utensils, rituals, and recipes passed down from generation to generation.

This year’s event features 24 traditional cooks, representing communities that preserve ancestral knowledge and living expressions of their territory. The pavilion showcases emblematic dishes, culinary processes, and narratives that connect the past with the present, strengthening a sense of belonging.

One of the central elements is the Otomi ceremonial tortilla, a symbolic expression of the Hñähñu culture, made with native corn and decorated with wooden stamps.

The stamps represent the Otomi worldview:

• Corn as life and sustenance
• The sun and moon as balance and time
• Flowers and birds as protection
• Symbols of fertility and gratitude to the earth
• The preparation is part of community ceremonies led by traditional women cooks

Throughout the tour, visitors learn about the ritual and everyday use of ingredients native of Guanajuato, the preparation of traditional moles, sauces, and stews, as well as recipes featuring endemic products such as local herbs, chilies, grains, fruits, edible insects, and native corn varieties. The space integrates tastings, culinary demonstrations, oral traditions, and the sale of local products, all within a family-friendly atmosphere.

The Guanajuato ¡Si Sabe! Pavilion is consolidating itself as a platform to preserve, promote and showcase traditional gastronomy, with a direct impact on communities and on the intergenerational transmission of knowledge.

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