When Cartagena's gastronomy enters the program, the destination does too.

The corozo, the fruit of a spiny palm tree from the Colombian Caribbean, boiled and sweetened, produces a juice that encapsulates the geography of this city in a single glass. Titoté is the coconut caramelization technique that gives rice its deep, dark color, a preparation that Cartagena's cooks have preserved with a fidelity that contemporary kitchens rarely show to their own traditions. Posta negra, beef slowly cooked with panela until it reaches that dark, glossy color, is one of Colombia's most representative dishes. This year, the country's gastronomic industry recognized Cartagena as Colombia's Best Gastronomic Destination. Liliana Rodríguez, executive president of Corpoturismo, summed it up perfectly: "We are a city that knows how to welcome. Our food tells its story of cultural encounter." (El Universal, Cartagena, May 2026)

All of this can be adapted. Juan Jiménez tailors each proposal to the group's profile: their preferences, their constraints, and the tone of the event. Cartagena's kitchen is spacious enough to accommodate a medical congress, an international executive meeting, or an incentive program with equal coherence and attention to detail.

For corporate groups, incentive trips, or conferences visiting Cartagena, this cuisine is incorporated into the program in specific ways. The live cooking stations during coffee breaks have proven to be one of the most engaging moments for attendees: the chef prepares egg arepas and carimañolas on the spot, shares the story behind each recipe, and what was meant to be a pause between sessions becomes the focal point of the day where people talk, ask questions, and connect. For most international visitors, corozo juice as an opening course is their first taste of a flavor unique to this region. At gala dinners, the Cartagena-style black beef with black coconut rice and traditional desserts like cocadas, alegrías de maíz, enyucado, and papaya caballitos create a menu that tells the story of the city on a plate.

Planners working in Colombia for incentives and corporate events find in this an argument that strengthens the program: attendees return with a concrete, specific gastronomic reference, knowing where they lived.

The Incredible Coffee Breaks and event menus at the InterContinental Cartagena de Indias are designed to make this cuisine a central part of the program, not just a side feature. Live cooking stations, pairings of Caribbean fruits with traditional regional beverages, and the city's signature dishes prepared by someone who knows them well.

Source: El Universal, Cartagena, May 27, 2026