The pans are sizzling and the bottles are being uncorked as the Mexican Caribbean prepares for the foodie event of the year, the Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival, March 12-15.

Sponsored by Food & Wine Magazine, Gourmet Awards, Travel & Leisure and Air France among others, the Cancún & Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival has become one of the area’s most popular events. This year’s festival line up features conferences by avant-garde Spanish chefs Juan Mari Arzak and Joan Roca, wine and spirits tastings hosted by leading sommeliers, a sunset catamaran cruise, cooking classes, gala dinners and a gourmet tasting village.

For groups of 20 to 24 people, the cooking classes with a celebrity chef are great way to spend the morning of March 13 or 14 and naturally they include lunch and a wine pairing after the session. This year’s participating chefs are: Martha Ortiz and Martha Chapa (Mexico, March 13), Patricia Quintana (Mexico, March 13), Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza (Spain, March 14, already sold out), Aquiles Chávez (Mexico, March 14), Yerika Muñoz (Mexico, March 15), Carmen Ramírez (Titita) and Maria Teresa Ramirez Degollado (Mexico, March 15)

The tempting Gala Dinners include aStar Chefs Dinner in which 20 top chefs from Mexico and invited countries take diners on a culinary journey through the New World.

The list of participating chefs reads like a who’s who of the Latin American dining scene. Alejandro Cuatepotzo, Alicia Gironella, Aquiles Chávez, Bruno Davaillon, Gustavo Palma, Cristian Morales, Christian Reyes, Daniele Muller, Erik Villar, Eugenio Villafaña, Felipe Quezada, Francisco Flores Obieta, Gregory Gourreau, Henri Charvet, Hubert Keller, Irving Quiroz, Joanatán Gómez Luna, Laurent Cantineaux, Laurent Pillard, Lula Martín Del Campo, Pablo Salas, Paola Garduño, Philippe Fournier,  Rafael Zafra, Roberto Vázquez, Fantino, Susanna Palazuelos, Tyler Thaxton and Xavier Pérez Stone prepare their signature dishes and wines from Mexico, France, Argentina and Spain are the perfect pairing.

Spanish Legends & Star Chefs in Mexico brings together six celebrity chefs from Spain who will offer a five-course meal paired with the finest Spanish wines, a prospect that has proved so popular that the event has already sold out!

The Divas of Mexican Cuisine Gala Dinner pays tribute to the creative contribution of that women have made to Mexico’s culinary heritage and their role in shaping the national cuisine. It brings together the talent and passion of 10 shining stars that have become ambassadors for their country and its food scene on the global stage. The chefs taking part are: Martha Ortiz, Martha Chapa, Ma. Teresa Ramírez Degollado, Carmen Ramírez (Titita), Yerika Muñoz, Lula Martín Del Campo, Alicia Gironella De’Angeli, Paola Garduño, Susanna Palazuelos.

The Festival also features three wine and spirits tastings hosted by some of the world’s most famous sommeliers, including Veronique Rivest from Canada who is ranked number two in the world. Guests will sample exceptional wines and spirits from the Americas and Europe or sip bubbly from the Moët & Chandon champagne collection.

The closing celebration is the Barefoot Elegance beach party with cocktails, champagne and music by renowned French DJ Claude Challe from the chic Parisian nightspot, the Buddha Bar.

The Festival founder and president is David Amar, a longtime Royal Resorts member who has a passion for Mexico and its rich heritage.

For the second year running, the latest luxury property in the Royal Resorts Collection, Grand Residences Riviera Cancun and El Faro Grill are participating in the Festival. Award-winning French chef Yann Cozic will be serving up a sumptuous sampler selection of dishes at the Gourmet Tasting Village on March 14 and 15.

Grand Residences will have two stands, one for El Faro Grill serving smoked salmon, blinis and sparkling wine, and a second one located in the French market area of the Gourmet Tasting Village where foodies will be able to snack on delicious charcuterie, pickled mushrooms, vichyssoise with smoked salmon and dainty macaroons for those with a sweet tooth.

Visit www.crmfest.com for more information on the different events, times and locations and to purchase tickets for the dinners, wine tastings, cooking classes or the Gourmet Tasting Village.