Tucson Chef to Represent City in Culinary Collaborations with Lyon, France

As part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, Lyon will host a series of culinary collaborations bringing together American and French chefs to celebrate the enduring friendship between France and the United States through food. 

Bon Appétit, America! is a culinary diplomacy initiative led by The Food Capitals by Délice Network, an international network founded by the City of Lyon in 2007 that uses gastronomy to foster cultural exchange, tourism, and sustainable urban development. The network now includes nearly 30 cities worldwide, including Tucson, San Antonio, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. 

The project has received the official Freedom250 France label from the U.S. Embassy in France, recognizing initiatives that celebrate the shared history, values, and people-to-people connections between France and the United States during the America250 commemorations.

Chef Mateo Cancio, executive chef of NEX on 4th Avenue and Chef Ambassador for Tucson – America’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy – will represent Tucson and Visit Tucson, the current President City of The Food Capitals Network, in a series of culinary collaborations with leading institutions in Lyon. 

He will introduce French audiences to Tucson’s unique blend of Indigenous heritage and Mexican influences by highlighting ingredients such as chiltepin pepper, Sonoran wheat, and desert fruits. Chef Cancio will also partner with La Fabuleuse Cantine, a socially responsible catering company focused on local, seasonal, and low-waste food systems, to create a signature Franco-American dish for the official Independence Day reception hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in Lyon. 

“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” said Felipe Garcia, president of the network and CEO of Visit Tucson.

Photo courtesy Visit Tucson