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Cacique and Chef Aarón Sánchez to Launch Go Auténtico Mexican Cook-off Challenge on Mexican Independence Day Bicentennial

Cacique, the authentic Hispanic cheese, cream and chorizo of choice for nearly four decades and Food Network Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez, will be launching its first-ever Go Autentico Mexican Cook-Off Challenge on September 16 for the Mexican Independence Day Bicentennial - a great day of national pride in Mexican history because it commemorates Mexico's independence from Spanish rule in 1910 and is celebrated by Mexicans all over the world.

The Go Autentico Mexican Cook-Off Challenge gives amateur chefs and food enthusiasts an opportunity to create their own original Mexican dish using Cacique's authentic Hispanic products for a chance to compete in a final-four cook-off that will be filmed, and broadcast over national television in February in a series of short vignettes. Viewers will also be able to watch the entire cook-off online at http://www.caciqueusa.com.

"Don't substitute authenticity. Cooking is all about using your ingredients to their fullest potential," says Food Network Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez. "Growing up, my family used authentic, high-quality ingredients such as Cacique's all-natural Queso Fresco in our kitchen. Its fresh, milky flavor and crumbly texture adds delicious creaminess to create traditional and Latin fusion dishes, and now you can too. We are pleased to offer consumers the chance to create their own unique Mexican dishes using Cacique's authentic Hispanic products for the chance to win the opportunity to pursue their culinary dream."

Here's how the Go Autentico Mexican Cook-Off Challenge works.

Contestants can submit their own original recipes using Cacique's line of Hispanic products and choose from Cacique's cheeses, creams and chorizos as the main ingredient of their authentic Mexican dish. The contest begins on September 16, 2010 and all recipes must be submitted by November 15, 2010 at http://www.caciqueusa.com or can be submitted via mail to 128 W. Santa Fe Ave., Placentia, CA 92870. Contestants are permitted to enter as many recipes as they want. The contest is open to all persons who are U.S. residents age 18 and over. Complete Go Autentico Cook-Off Challenge contest rules are available at http://www.caciqueusa.com.

See Chef Sánchez's Cacique-inspired, Go Autentico recipes on the Cacique Web site at http://www.caciqueusa.com/recipes/1/go_autentico.

Cacique and Chef Sánchez will review the recipe submissions and select the final four contestants who will compete in New York City at the nationally televised Cacique Go Autentico Challenge hosted at Chef Sánchez's restaurant, Centrico. Chef Sánchez and a panel of guest judges will evaluate the contestant's main entree and judge them on taste, effective use of Cacique products, dish presentation, and recipe creativity of authentic Mexican and Latin-inspired dishes.

The grand prize winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to Napa Valley, California and a five day Culinary Boot Camp Vacation at the Culinary Institute of America. Visit http://www.caciqueusa.com to learn more about the Go Autentico Cook-Off Challenge.

"Cacique's award-winning line of fresh and natural Hispanic products make it easy for everyone to create delicious, authentic Mexican recipes in their own home and we hope to inspire consumers to master their culinary talents by creating new, fun ways of using our products," says Gil de Cárdenas, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Cacique.

Cacique products are available at leading national retailers such as Kroger, Safeway and WalMart and HEB and Hispanic specialty retailers such as, Fiesta, Food 4 Less, Northgate, Mi Pueblo, Pete's Fine Foods, Sedanos, Superior Warehouse and Vallarta.

To learn more about Cacique and their family of products, please go to http://www.caciqueusa.com/.

For news updates, information and special offers, follow the Cacique on Twitter @Cacique_USA.

About Cacique

For nearly four decades, authenticity, integrity, family pride and tradition have made Cacique the largest Hispanic cheese brand in the U.S.

Cacique has combined old-world traditions with new world technologies into the Cacique family of products, which includes fresh and aged traditional cheeses, creams, chorizos and beverages to provide customers with high quality, authentic products made with traditional ingredients they have come to know and enjoy.

For more information about Cacique's authentic line of natural Hispanic products, please visit www.caciqueusa.com or call (800) 521-6987 or (626) 937-3505.

About Chef Aarón Sánchez

Aarón Sánchez is the co-star of Food Network's exciting new series, Chefs vs. City and is the owner and executive chef of restaurants Paladar and Centrico, both located in New York City. The son of celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, Aarón's passion, commitment and skills have placed him among the country's leading contemporary Latin Chefs.

Cacique^®
Renee´ Hewitt, 845-382-9152
renee@reneehewitt.com