Wildcoast’s 2nd Annual Baja Bash

To celebrate the preservation of Baja’s wildlife and pristine coastlines, Wildcoast put on an event heralding its success and highlighted some of the region’s top culinary icons. The 2nd annual Baja Bash honored both lucha libre icon El Hijo del Santo, and chef Javier

Plascencia for leading Baja’s exploding gastronomic scene.

The Port Pavillion in San Diego was packed as guests arrived for a taste of the dishes prepared by chefs from both sides of the border. The hostess of the evening, the lovely Marcela Valladolid, was honored to be a part of such a great cause. She fully supports the region’s chefs, and explained: “It’s about Baja; I grew up in Baja. It’s very sad sometimes to be down there and see trash, and see the wildlife not being protected as it should be. Any event that benefits that is one that I am always going to help.”

“I want [guests] to think of Baja. I want them to want to come visit. [Wildcoast] picked the best representatives, in terms of the food. Hopefully all of these wonderful guests will want to go down there, and try these foods where they were originally made. That will get them excited and support the cause. So, it’s about bringing them all to Baja to support,” Valladolid continued. 

While making their rounds to each of the chef’s tables, everyone enjoyed sips of Valladolid’s tequila line, Hacienda de la Flor, as well as locally brewed beers from the San Diego based Stone Brewing Company and Cucapá.

Up next, a taste of what chefs were dishing out…

Our tasting began with chef Drew Deckman‘s (left) pork belly and octopus taco. A true Baja crusader, he flew in from San Jose del Cabo just to support the event. “I believe in what’s happening; there’s no doubt that I wouldn’t be here.” He also served up a Mexican-style poke into which we threw in some chapulines, or crickets. Talk about authentic!

Chef Chad White (right) of Plancha Baja Med brought his Taconazo-inspired dish to the table. Taconazo, a taqueria in Tijuana, serves tacos made with organ meats, and White deconstructed a taco consisting of masa puff, braised pig lungs, heart, and liver, okra, and a cherry-guajillo gastrique. He explained that through his friendships and collaboration with chefs and friends on both sides of the border, his culinary passions and inspirations were nurtured.

Honored ocean defender of the evening Javier Plascencia had guests swarming around his station, ready to slurp down fresh oysters, and enjoy pig and lamb tacos. Before the event officially began, his Caja China, which was heating up near the building’s entrance, offered a pork-filled whiff of what was to come later on in the evening.

Other tastes for the evening included chef Flor Franco‘s bright and flavorful Caprese salad spoon and halibut ceviche “parfait”. Humberto Aviles of La Cazaclub in Tijuana served up fresh oysters from San Quintin with finely minced Serrano peppers, and a tostadita de percebes (barnacles). The buzz of the venue seemed to indicate that guests left with happy bellies, and Wildcoast put on a wonderful event stressing the importance of their foundation for these two shared coastlines.