Some of Puerto Rico’s best-known culinary names will gather in Condado Friday for a special event honoring chef Mario Pagán and raising money for culinary scholarships.
Some of Puerto Rico’s most prominent chefs will gather at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel this Friday, August 28, for an evening honoring chef Mario Pagán while raising money for students pursuing careers in the culinary industry.
“Sabores que Transforman” begins at 7 p.m. and will benefit the Universidad Ana G. Méndez’s Chef Mario Pagán Scholarship Fund, which supports students at the university’s José A. “Tony” Santana School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts.
The university established the initiative in recognition of Pagán’s career and his contributions to Puerto Rico’s culinary industry, with proceeds from Friday’s event going toward educational costs for culinary students.
Rather than a traditional seated dinner built around a single chef, the evening will bring together a collection of culinary talent from restaurants and hotels across Puerto Rico.
Among the chefs participating are José Enrique of Caña at Fairmont El San Juan Hotel; José “Chompy” Cruz of La Central by Mario Pagán; Nasha Fondeur of Condado Vanderbilt; Natalia Rivera of La Concha; Ramón Carrillo of Wyndham Grand Rio Mar; Juan Peña of Condado Collection; Víctor Rosado of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Puerto Rico; Sebastián Rosado of Levant; and Patrick Escobar of the university’s culinary program.
The chefs have been tasked with revisiting dishes associated with Pagán’s career while adding their own interpretations.
Instead of serving the meal as a conventional multi-course dinner, organizers plan to divide the event into stations, allowing guests to move among the participating chefs and sample their individual preparations. Wine and other beverages will accompany the food selections.
For Pagán, the evening brings together two parts of the industry that have played major roles throughout his career: professional cooking and culinary education.
The Puerto Rican chef and restaurateur has spent more than two decades developing restaurant concepts while helping push contemporary Puerto Rican cuisine toward a wider audience. But the scholarship initiative also reflects Pagán’s own experience as a culinary student who relied on educational assistance early in his career.
The Universidad Ana G. Méndez said proceeds from previous editions of the fundraising initiative in 2022 and 2024 have provided scholarships to 95 students, helping cover expenses including books, uniforms, transportation, materials and other academic costs.
Friday’s event is intended to add to that total.
It also arrives at a time when Puerto Rico’s restaurant and hospitality industries continue to compete for trained culinary professionals, making education and hands-on experience increasingly important for students hoping to enter the field.
Pagán has emphasized that combination himself, encouraging culinary students to work in professional kitchens while completing their education so that classroom training develops alongside real-world experience.
For diners, “Sabores que Transforman” offers a comparatively rare opportunity to sample food prepared by a large group of established Puerto Rico chefs in a single evening. For organizers, however, the larger goal is what happens after the dinner is over.
The money raised will help another group of aspiring chefs enter the kitchens, hotels and restaurants that will shape Puerto Rico’s next generation of dining.
“Sabores que Transforman” will be held Friday, August 28 at 7 p.m. at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. Tickets are being offered through Universidad Ana G. Méndez for a $250 contribution to the scholarship initiative.
Sources
• Universidad Ana G. Méndez — Sabores que Transforman
• El Nuevo Día — Homenaje a Mario Pagán
• Metro Puerto Rico / Sabrosía — Legado de Mario Pagán
