SalmonChile Runs Dual-Track Culinary Promotion: Stand and Cooking Classes at Pucón Flavor Expo, 60 kg of Salmon for Bariloche

In October 2026, the Chilean salmon industry association SalmonChile completed a two-track culinary promotion: on one hand it took part in the 13th Pucón Flavor Expo (Expo Sabores Pucón 2026) held in the Araucanía Region, and on the other it joined the Puerto Montt municipal delegation at the Bariloche a la Carta (BALC) 2026 international food festival in Argentine Patagonia. Both events aimed to promote Chilean salmon products and bring seafood closer to communities.

The Pucón Flavor Expo was held from October 9 to 11 in the Araucanía Region, organized by the Pucón Chefs Association, with this year's theme being "wild cuisine, from field to table." SalmonChile has participated since the show's founding, and this time ran several activities on the main stage and at the food truck set up in the Fire Courtyard. During the show, mussel products from member companies Cosecha del Mar, Salmones Austral, Salmones Antártica-Yadrán and SudMaris took part in tastings and live cooking classes led by chefs Mikel Zulueta, Yann Yvin and Álvaro Morales. SalmonChile also provided a dedicated space for women entrepreneurs from the Araucanía Rural Women's Table organization to sell crafts and specialty foods from the region.

Álvaro Sepúlveda, president of the Pucón Chefs Association, said the event aimed to create synergies between producers and chefs, producing attractive and visually appealing dishes for the public, and stressed that it is a family-friendly market bringing together barbecue, producers and food trucks among its diverse exhibitors. Ricardo López, SalmonChile's representative in the Araucanía Region, noted that the show has grown alongside the association, with the event blending tourism, cuisine, the salmon industry, production and local identity, generating added value for the industry, the value chain, suppliers and local workers.

Meanwhile, SalmonChile, in coordination with member company Australis Seafoods, supplied 60 kg of Chilean salmon for the Puerto Montt municipality's international appearance at the Bariloche food festival. The salmon featured in the opening dinner and in several tasting activities prepared by Puerto Montt chefs. The delegation, led by Puerto Montt mayor Rodrigo Wainraihgt, promoted the specialties and culinary offerings of the Los Lagos region at the event, fostering tourism and production ties between the two neighboring cities.

Speaking about this cross-border activity, SalmonChile communications director Francisco Renner said the association has for years worked with chefs' associations across southern Chile on projects including student scholarships with Les Toques Blanches, Salmon Week and currently MasterChef, with the shared goal of helping more people know and enjoy healthy, high-quality salmon protein. He said appearing in Bariloche alongside the Puerto Montt municipality is a new example of this collaborative work, and that the association is glad to keep creating spaces that connect people through cuisine, highlight the value of salmon and showcase the best of southern Chile.