It’s an early October morning on the grounds of the newly renovated Ranch Motel. The live oak trees cast generous shade, the birds are chirping, and a cool breeze is blowing in. Meanwhile, thirty white tables are being set up and banners are being hung. The delightful crunch of nicely compacted crushed granite is heard amidst a peaceful flurry of activity.
The grounds are getting ready for the Puro Salsa Cook-Off, a relatively new tradition in San Antonio. It’s a party and a competition that celebrates our local culture and contributes to a good cause.
San Antonio has some of the best Mexican food in the world. We know how to use chiles, tomatoes, and tomatillos. Chips and salsa are a staple at every Mexican restaurant. We expect it and we probably eat too much of it. I definitely do. Who cares? We love it.
Puro Salsa Cook-Off celebrates it. We bring in some of San Antonio’s best Mexican restaurants, salsa makers who have made it to the shelves of HEB, and abuelas who protect some of the best recipes that have been keeping their families warm and happy for generations.
The festival is exciting. The grounds are lively. There is cumbia music that makes you want to dance, margaritas and Lone Stars that make you want to socialize, and world-class salsas that make you want to go out and get some enchiladas. It’s family friendly and kids are whirling around chasing each other while Mom and Dad are sampling salsa.
It’s a great time.
The competition is divided into two segments: the “Judges’ Competition” and the “People’s Choice.”
Last year, the judges were some of the best in the business of salsa. Tio Pelon founder Oscar Perez, Cuishe and Toro founder Gerardo De Anda, and Alex Paredes, the James Beard semifinalist behind Carnitas Lonjas and Tacopolis, volunteered for this most important task. They took their time. They savored each salsa. They let the flavors soak in. They reflected on them.
After this near-religious experience, at least transcendental in some regards, they arrived at their conclusion. First place went to Herd on the Street, a family farm in Somerset, TX. Second place went to La Lonchera, a popular San Pedro lunch spot. Third place went to Tomatillos, the famous restaurant formerly located on Broadway but with a new location on SE Military.
Congratulations to the well-deserved winners of arguably one of the most prestigious awards in the Western Hemisphere.
The People’s Choice took a little longer to announce its winner. For the duration of the event, hundreds of participants circled around the 30 tables with their white and red trays of chips, plunging a chip or two into each salsa. Between sampling salsas and guzzling down water to mitigate the spice, the people had time to experience the salsas in all the fervor, spirit, and excitement of a crowd. The people ranked their best salsas, put their papers into a ballot box, and the votes were counted.
The winner of the People’s Choice was Que Mala Todo, a group of two friends that just had an awesome salsa to share. Some say that the wisdom of crowds makes this the most coveted award of all.
The event itself is a blast, but it’s about more than just salsa.
In 2008, Puro Salsa’s founder Mark Valadez found himself very sick. What he thought might just be a flu turned out to be much more serious. Mark was just 19 years old, but he was diagnosed with leukemia. After several grueling years of treatment, Mark’s leukemia subsided into a state of remission in 2011.
If you ever meet Mark, you’ll know he’s one of the happiest guys in San Antonio. He is always around helping friends and anyone he can. Because of his experience as a cancer survivor, over the years he has held Light The Night walk fundraisers for friends and family to help give money for cancer research. These events have brought people together, celebrating with their friend, and fighting for a cure.
In 2024, after moving back to San Antonio from Houston, Mark decided he wanted to do something that could combine his love for the city’s culture and his passion for helping fight cancer. He gathered a group of friends together to begin the San Antonio Latino Sauce Assembly (S.A.L.S.A.), the organization that hosts Puro Salsa Cook-Off.
After many breakfast meetings at Mama’s Café and a soft launch in 2024, the San Antonio Latino Sauce Assembly put together the 2nd Annual Puro Salsa Cook-Off in 2025. The event raised $10,000 in donations that benefitted Blood Cancer United, formerly the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
For a fun event that lasts about two hours, a $10,000 donation towards cancer research is a win. It’s a great way to make a small contribution and to be a part of a bigger cause.
The 3rd Annual Puro Salsa Cook-Off is scheduled for October 17, 2026 at the Ranch Motel. You can purchase tickets at www.purosalsa.org. If you can make it, we’d love to have you. We’ll throw a party, taste some great salsa, celebrate San Antonio, and contribute to a great cause.
THE VOICE:
David Morin
David is a Partner with MNO Partners, a real estate development firm focused on developing walkable and community-oriented projects throughout the San Antonio-Austin corridor. David is also the founder and (again) owner of Mission Kayak, San Antonio’s first kayak rental company on the San Antonio riverwalk. David also serves on the City of San Antonio Housing Commission’s Breaking Barriers to Affordable Housing Subcommittee and is the Co-Chair for the Urban Land Institute’s Neighborhood Development Local Member Council. In his spare time, David loves to walk through and explore San Antonio, envision its future, and hang out with his wife and two kids (both under two). David and his family are active parishioners of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and live in a historic neighborhood near downtown San Antonio.