On Thursday, November 21st, the Casa de Campo community experienced a night full of flavor, competition, and camaraderie with the traditional Friendsgiving, a one-of-a-kind culinary event. This celebration, which brings together residents and friends of the community, centers around a competition to determine who bakes the best turkey, the signature dish of the Thanksgiving feast.
This year's event was marked by a secret ingredient that gave a creative twist to the competition: curry. All participants had to incorporate this spice into their turkeys and also present them in an innovative way. The combination of tradition and creativity in the dishes made the task even more challenging for the contestants, who not only vied for flavor but also for the presentation of their dishes.
Located at the beautiful Lago Restaurant within Casa de Campo, the event unfolded in an exquisitely decorated setting, where groups of friends savored a delicious dinner while eagerly awaiting the judges' verdict. The competition was overseen by three experts: the renowned Chef Emil Vega, Chef Gabriel Occelli, and Gabriella Reginato, who also served as the master of ceremonies.
Gabriella Reginato highlighted how closely contested this edition was, noting that the participants“ scores were very similar, which made the selection process more difficult than ever. ”It was the strongest competition to date; the effort and dedication were evident in each of the turkeys. Behind each dish there is a beautiful story," explained Reginato, who also emphasized the human element behind the competition.
The story behind this event is equally touching. Rubén González, a businessman and active member of the Casa de Campo community, is the mastermind behind this contest. After moving to Casa de Campo and distancing himself from his family, González decided to start this tradition with his closest friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, while also competing to see who baked the best turkey. In 2017, the event took its first steps at Café Marietta, with only seven turkeys and a lot of enthusiasm. Since then, Friendsgiving has grown significantly, becoming one of the most anticipated events in the community.
As every year, the event shone for its noble cause: the funds raised were designated for the Hogar del Niño, a charitable institution that works with vulnerable children. Xiomara Menéndez Dájer, president of the Patronato Benéfico Oriental (PBO), expressed her gratitude for the generosity of the organizers and participants. «Bringing together these chefs and the entire community for such an important cause is truly fantastic. It's beautiful to see how everyone comes together to support the Hogar del Niño,» said Menéndez Dájer, who also thanked Rubén González for his tireless work and outreach. In this edition, 4 million 300 thousand pesos were raised, a resounding success that will contribute to improving the quality of life for the children of the Hogar.
As for the winners, the competition was very close, but the judges decided to award the following prizes:
Third place: Hazziz Curet
Second place: Victoria Giha
First place: Susana Joa
This year, a total of 16 participants joined the competition, making it clear that, beyond culinary rivalry, Friendsgiving is an event that celebrates friendship, creativity, and solidarity.
Among the attendees, many were amused by the presence of Argenis Lebrón, the event's “mascot turkey,” who, in addition to livening up the party, was responsible for creating the trophies presented to the winners. Without a doubt, this competition is much more than a simple gastronomic contest; it is an event that unites the community, honors traditions, and, most importantly, supports a noble cause.
