Madrid Fusion Foods of Spain relaunches its leadership

This year, the congress brought together for the first time some of the most sought-after chefs on the international scene. Figures such as Bruno Verjus, Aitor Zabala, Bas van Kranen, Vicky Chang, and Pía León, among many others, joined the program, contributing diverse and complementary perspectives on contemporary haute cuisine. Their participation not only reinforced the international dimension of the event but also fostered an open dialogue in which knowledge, creative processes, and cultural identity took center stage.

Madrid Fusión has also consolidated spaces that have become integral to its identity, such as Dreams #spainfoodtechnation Pastry and The Wine Edition Wines from Spain. These three areas have broadened the gastronomic narrative and reinforced the congress's commitment to innovation and knowledge sharing in fields such as science, technology, viticulture, and business. Dreams has established itself as a space for reflection and experimentation, Pastry has confirmed the growing prominence of pastry as a creative discipline with its own voice and international reach, and The Wine Edition has offered an edition marked by a diversity of content, experiences, and unique tastings featuring leading figures in the world of wine.

With this combination of global talent, specialized content, and spaces for exchange, Madrid Fusión has strengthened its connection with an increasingly active and engaged international community. It's an environment where knowledge has been shared, questioned, and collectively built, and where gastronomy has been understood as a living, constantly evolving practice.

The final figures confirm the success of the 24th edition of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España, which closed with a resounding success in terms of delegates (1,722), visitors (25,992), and exhibiting companies (224). More than a thousand journalists were accredited for this edition, which paid tribute to the customer and stood out above all for the quality of the content presented on its six stages, most of which were packed. This impressive turnout marked the largest and most international edition to date—with visitors from 61 countries—and the highest number of chefs in its 24-year history.

Without ingredients, there is no cooking.

The main auditorium of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España maintained its travel spirit on the final day of its 24th edition. Peru, Italy, and Portugal took to the stage with a representation of their top chefs.

The Peruvian pantry, specifically its less-used products, has been showcased by Pía León, who uses them not only in her restaurant Kjolle (Lima). Tablecloths dyed with freeze-dried plants, flowers, and leaves; or plates made with cacao seeds, leaves, or veins, allow Pía to make the most of each product: “Typically, only 15% of the cacao is used, and we use close to 85%.” With projects like this, the Peruvian chef explained that they also manage to “keep ancestral traditions and techniques alive.”

Another chef who relies on locally sourced products for his cooking is Portuguese chef Gil Fernandes, who, when he takes off his apron, becomes a forager in the forests and cliffs surrounding his restaurant, Fortaleza do Guincho* (Cascais). “It’s essential to make greater use of the diversity of Cascais. I’m talking about wild products. For us, it’s a differentiator. Our menu is different because we cook something that the industry can’t sell us. That philosophy is what sets us apart,” he explained.

The national representation for the day fell to Sergio Tofe, chef of Éter* (Madrid), who, in line with his international colleagues, spoke about the product, stating that for him, “what’s important is the relationship with the ingredient, not the distance.” Chele González, the Cantabrian chef based in Manila, focused his presentation on a specific product, the coconut, without which “Southeast Asian cuisine wouldn’t be possible.” Indeed, at Gallery By Chele*, “each year a product and its bioproducts take center stage on the menu, as an exercise in sustainability.”

Rebelling against the congress's proposed motto, Italian chef Giuseppe Iannotti stated categorically: “In my restaurant, the customer doesn't take charge. They decide to visit us, but for us, it's very important to be able to work on an experience. They will be at the heart of our activity, but they don't know what will happen, only what they will pay.” This makes sense in a concept that offers a 35-course blind tasting menu each day.

Granitic Garnachas, tavern appetizers and Jerez wines

From the Wine Edition Wines from Spain stage, the presentation by Luis Gutiérrez, wine critic for The Wine Advocate, stood out. He focused on how granitic soils, combined with high-altitude Garnacha vines in the Sierra de Gredos mountains, produce vertical, mineral, and elegant red wines with unique freshness and minerality thanks to the poor soil, steep slopes, and extreme temperature fluctuations. In a tasting format with food pairings, the cultural ritual of the aperitif in Spanish taverns was explained; while the final Vinomio session of the event explored the profound connection between Jerez wines and local gastronomy.

The Juli Soler Award for Young Talents of Tomorrow, the wine space prize, has been awarded in its sixth edition to Lluíis Subirós, sommelier of Almadraba (Girona); Mario Ayllón, sommelier of Berria (Madrid); Gabriela Palacios, technical director of Marqués de Vargas; María del Mar Ruiz, sommelier of La Lobita (Soria); and Michael Candelario, winegrower and winemaker in La Palma.

Health and the future in Dreams#spainfoodtechnation

The future was brought to life on the Dreams#spainfoodtechnation stage with the presentation of CRISPR, a revolutionary gene-editing tool, a kind of "molecular scissors" that allows for the precise cutting, insertion, or modification of DNA sequences in living cells. "CRISPR modifies DNA without incorporating anything from outside. It's not a GMO because there's nothing foreign. GMOs involve cutting and pasting, and this is different," explained José Miguel Mulet, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. "Very powerful things are coming in the field of livestock genetics," Mulet warned, citing as an example "introducing fat into meat and transforming a previously underappreciated breed into a premium one."

Also noteworthy in today's program on the food science and innovation stage was the presentation by marine biologist Carlos Duarte on salt. The scientist reminded attendees that salt is crucial for our health: "Salt contributes to the body's alkalization, digestion, and nutrient formation; it facilitates detoxification, provides us with essential nutrients, helps us recover from colds, flu, and congestion, improves cell health, and prevents high cholesterol," he listed. However, excess comes at a price. "Excessive sodium, especially, is so prevalent in ultra-processed foods, where it's four or five times higher than in natural foods." One of the solutions to excessive sodium consumption that Duarte proposed is salts derived from marine organisms like algae, not from seawater evaporation.

Butter and chocolate

The latest edition of Madrid Fusión Pastry focused on two essential pastry ingredients: butter and chocolate. The Canary Islands pastry chef Alexis García (100% Hojaldre, Santa Cruz de Tenerife) took the lead on butter, emphasizing it "not just as a technical ingredient, but as a product with its own unique identity." Raúl Bernal, a pastry chef and chocolatier from Lapaca (Huesca), showcased chocolate with one of the most iconic desserts made with cocoa, the Sacher torte. Bernal offered his own interpretation, combining "chocolate with raspberry, blackcurrant, pepper, and Shyra wine from Bodega Sommos."

Competitions and award winners

The final day of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España is traditionally the most revealing day of each edition, as it's when the winners of the Revelation Awards in all categories are announced. In the most anticipated category, the Revelation Chef Award by Balfegó, this year's top prize went to Javier Ochoa and Garikoitz Arruabarrena, the creative chef duo behind Masta Taberna in Zarautz (Guipúzcoa).

Young pastry chef Miguel Yeste (Obrar, Madrid) has won the Revelation Pastry Chef Award by Torrons Vicens with a Christmas-inspired dessert. And the front-of-house category, which also recognizes its most promising talent with the Revelation Front-of-House Award, has chosen Adrián Fernández, from the Lera restaurant (Castroverde de Campos, Zamora), as its winner.

But beyond the Revelation awards, Wednesday also saw other winners, such as Albert Adrià, who was chosen as The Best Chef of the Year in Europe (an award sponsored by Avolta). Another recipient was José Gordón, a cattle farmer and owner of Bodega El Capricho (Jiménez de Jamuz, León), who received the Madrid Fusión Food of Spain Award for Product Defense from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas. Gordón dedicated the award “to all the small producers who, in addition to producing excellent products, take care of our landscape and environment.”