Celebrate Mother Earth With These Tasty Bee-Centric Dishes and Cocktails

Photos courtesy of Tamayo and Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval

Tamayo and Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval are proud to once again present Viva Abejas: a menu featuring bee-centric food and beverage specials available March 21 through April 23. 

Viva Abejas, meaning “long live bees” in Spanish, celebrates Earth and the significance of bees to the food cycle. One in every three bites of food consumed by humans depends on bees for pollination, according to Earth Justice. Bee pollination is of major importance to many of Toro and Tamayo’s core ingredients, including agave and avocado. Bee populations are in rapid decline, and Richard Sandoval Hospitality hopes that this campaign will spread awareness of the importance of bees in our everyday lives. 

Similar to last year, Chef Richard Sandoval aims to celebrate this integral part of the food cycle with a holistic approach to food, signature activations, cultural education, philanthropy, and more. New this year, Chef Sandoval is taking his philanthropic approach a step further by authoring his first children’s book, which is now on sale. Viva Abejas is a study into sustainability and the food cycle, highlighting the importance of pollination and conservation for early readers and bee enthusiasts alike. 100% of the book proceeds directly benefit two organizations: the Akumal Cultural Foundation, providing a free after-school program and children’s library in Akumal, Mexico, and the World Bee Project’s World Hive Network, the first global bee health platform to the world’s beehives to a single network using AI technology. 

Tamayo and Toro are pleased to offer guests a taste of Viva Abejas with an assortment of dishes and cocktails. The menu specials are plant-based and incorporate edible flowers, bee pollen, honey, avocado and other bee-centric products. Prices and offerings will vary between locations.

To start the meal, both restaurants will serve a Charred Avocado & Pear Salad with Greek yogurt foam, candied walnuts and a honey-chipotle vinaigrette. For entrées, guests can enjoy Chef Sandoval’s Enchiladas Doradas, which are stuffed with a Mexican calabacitas stew and topped with honey bell pepper sauce and crema. Toro will exclusively offer a Honey Panna Cottadessert featuring coconut crumble, white chocolate honeycomb and vanilla ice cream. 

To sip, Tamayo and Toro are bringing back the crowd favorite Honey Lavender Margarita, made with Patrón Blanco, lime, honey lavender syrup, créme de violette and triple sec. They will also mix up their Brazilian Bee cocktail, a delicious combination of Missao Paulo Cachaça Prata, coconut-infused honey, grapefruit and lemon. Tamayo will also exclusively serve the Margarita Flores, made with hibiscus-infused blanco tequila, honey comb, local honey and sal de chapuline. 

Tamayo will also give wildflower seed packets, made to attract pollinators, to all guests who enjoy a dish or cocktail from the Viva Abejas menu. 

Continuing the spirit of philanthropy, Richard Sandoval Hospitality (RSH) will also donate a portion of the proceeds from Viva Abejas menu to The World Bee Project and the Akumal Cultural Foundation. 

Last year, RSH donated proceeds to the Help Save the Bees Foundation.  

The Viva Abejas menu will be available Tuesday, March 21 through Sunday, April 23. Reservations are encouraged and can be made at www.eattamayo.com or www.torodenver.com.

For more information on Viva Abejas, please visit www.richardsandoval.com/viva-abejas.