Guayaquil's EPICO and Hueca Fest drive Ecuador's gastronomy growth

The municipal public company EPICO, acting through the Guayaquil municipality, signed a cooperation agreement with the Escuela de los Chef. The pact aims to strengthen technical training for gastronomic entrepreneurs, providing EPICO‑linked entrepreneurs with specialized courses, technical assistance and mentorship, while students will join the municipal entrepreneurship ecosystem. As an early outcome, 25 brands linked to EPICO will showcase their products at the Wake Up Food Show.

Hueca Fest, created five years ago to gather small food ventures, is now pursuing a Guinness World Record and a national platform for Ecuadorian culinary heritage. Wilmer Morales, president of the Asociación Gastronómica Huecas del Ecuador, says the goal is to prove the evolution of national gastronomy without losing its essence. The 2026 edition will feature 220 stalls—150 certified as heritage “huecas”—with participants from Quito and other provinces, alongside cultural performances such as the Diablada Pillareña and the Bomba del Chota.