Tucson chef Mateo Cancio will travel to Lyon, France, this summer as part of Bon Appétit, America!, a culinary diplomacy initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Food Capitals by Délice Network, an international organization founded by the City of Lyon in 2007, leads the project. Cancio will represent Tucson and Visit Tucson, which currently serves as President City of The Food Capitals Network.
The initiative has received the official Freedom250 France label from the U.S. Embassy in France. That designation recognizes programs that celebrate the shared history and people-to-people connections between France and the United States during the America250 commemorations.
Cancio serves as executive chef of NEX on Fourth Avenue and as Chef Ambassador for Tucson, America’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Tucson earned that designation in 2015, recognizing the region’s deep food heritage, which spans more than 4,000 years of continuous habitation. The designation also reflects Tucson’s layered culinary traditions, including Indigenous, Mexican, and Spanish influences.
In Lyon, Cancio will introduce French audiences to ingredients tied to the Sonoran Desert, including chiltepin pepper, Sonoran wheat, and desert fruits. His background draws on both his Tucson upbringing and training in Mexican, Italian, and French cuisines, including a previous role as chef de cuisine at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort.
“As members of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network and leaders within The Food Capitals Network, Lyon and Tucson demonstrate how food can foster international dialogue, strengthen community connections, and celebrate our shared values,” President of the Network and CEO of Visit Tucson Felipe Garcia said in a press release.
Cancio will participate in two public-facing collaborations and one official diplomatic event during his time in Lyon.
The Food Capitals by Délice Network connects nearly 30 cities worldwide through food-focused projects, exchanges, and collaborative initiatives. The network uses gastronomy to drive economic development, cultural identity, and urban sustainability. Member cities include Tucson, San Antonio, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Lyon. Tucson currently holds the position of President City within the network.
For more on Tucson’s standing as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, read what the designation means and how Tucson earned it. To learn about past Tucson chefs who have represented the city internationally, see the Chefs on a Global Stage recap.
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