Rural Chef Returns Tonight With a Baños Cooking Competition

The third edition of Rural Chef premieres September 17, 2026, at 8 p.m. on the social-media pages of the GAD Parroquial Rural de Baños and the Universidad Católica de Cuenca, according to El Mercurio.

For readers interested in local cooking, the program offers a look at two competition categories: students representing schools and semiprofessional cooks. Six students and five semiprofessional participants are listed for this edition.

What the cooks will make

The first phase sets different challenges for the two groups. Students will prepare locro de papas, while the semiprofessional contestants will make mote pata.

The judging panel includes chefs from Cuenca restaurants, among them Manolo Morocho of La María and Gabriel Guamán of El Mercado, along with Gonzalo Amoroso, Tatiana Rodríguez and Universidad Católica de Cuenca instructors.

Judges will consider hygiene, cooking technique, cooking, flavor, territorial identity and presentation. That gives viewers several things to look for beyond the finished plate.

How the competition progresses

The contest has six episodes and three stages: elimination, semifinal and final. The semifinal is scheduled for September 21.

The final is planned for October 3, starting at 10 a.m., at the Salón del Sindicato de Choferes de Baños, where contestants will present their own culinary creations.

Tonight’s announcement concerns the online premiere. The report does not specify public admission arrangements or ticket prices for the final, so check those details with the organizers before planning to attend.

Sources: elmercurio.com.ec.

Image: existing site image, illustrative.