La Costena and Rosa Mexicano Host a Chipotle Tasting Feast in Atlanta as Part of La Costena Restaurant Tour.

ATLANTA -- Following the success of La Costena's 2005 Restaurant Tour in major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, La Costena brand has chosen Roberto Santibanez, celebrated Chef and Culinary Director of Rosa Mexicano to participate in a creative collaborative effort to elevate the rich tradition of Mexican cooking by presenting an all-chipotle menu. Pronounced "chee-POHT-lay," this versatile pepper has become a popular food trend in the U.S. The campaign has been created to provide Atlanta's Mexican food aficionados the opportunity to savor Chef Santibanez' chipotle tasting menu, featuring the famous chipotle peppers from La Costena.

From May 24 through June 7, these original dishes will be featured in a tasting menu at the recently opened Rosa Mexicano Restaurant, 245 18th Street at Atlantic Station, where patrons will receive a gift collection of the four modern Mexican recipes following dinner. These distinctive recipes represent the finest in authentic Mexican cuisine and have been designed to inspire Mexican cooking at home.

"We serve a market devoted to their families and to home cooking. By asking the best Mexican chefs in the U.S. to create recipes with La Costena and sharing them broadly, we intend to divulge cooking secrets that will empower our core users and bring a great culinary experience to many homes in the country" said Johanna Lugo, Marketing Manager of La Costena.

Award-winning Chef Roberto Santibanez, a master in the tradition of Mexican cooking, was born in Mexico City and received culinary honors from Le Cordon Bleu and Le Notre in France. His restaurant experience includes celebrated Le Bourgogne, Henbury Estate in England, and he was chef/owner of three successful restaurants in Mexico City. "I have used La Costena products for many years, it is a brand you can depend on for authenticity," said Santibanez.

Rosa Mexicano set a new standard for Mexican cuisine when it first opened its doors in 1984. Playing a leading role in defining what was then a "new" cuisine to American diners, Rosa Mexicano delivers authentic Mexican cooking in an accessible, stylishly festive atmosphere. Their menu features a range of award-winning signature dishes such as Guacamole en Molcajete, made in a traditional lava-rock mortar, it is prepared tableside and served with house made chips and corn tortillas. The all-chipotle menu prepared for this event will include a special guacamole with seafood and chipotle, vegetable, mushroom and barley soup in a chipotle broth, chicken in chipotle and peanut red mole, as well as a tempting chocolate and chipotle cake, all prepared with La Costena Chipotle Peppers.

The Atlanta chipotle feast is another segment of the yearlong program being implemented to synergize La Costena brand with the most important Mexican chefs and restaurants in the U.S., merging the highest levels of Mexican culinary standards with the everyday needs of consumers. La Costena is a Mexican company with more than 80 years of experience manufacturing, distributing and marketing high quality canned foods, which preserve the flavor of the traditional Mexican cuisine, making their products the preferred choice of millions of consumers who daily enjoy its delicious variety of products, including peppers, salsas, beans, mole, mayonnaise, tender cactus, among other favorites. For additional product information please visit www.lacostena.com.mx