Four Michelin-starred chefs in one room in Shanghai. A moment you do not get to see very often.
That was Spain Fusion The Premium Experience, organised by Vocento Gastronomía and sponsored by ICEX, recently held at The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai.
We did our part in bringing together importers, distributors, chefs, restaurateurs, retailers and food media for a programme built around Spanish ingredients, products and culinary technique.
After opening remarks from Benjamín Lana, CEO of Vocento Gastronomía, and Raúl Merchán, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines, the daytime programme unfolded through a professional seminar, masterclasses and tastings, echoing the theme: “One bite says more than a thousand words.”
Albert Adrià (Enigma**, Barcelona), Ricard Camarena (Restaurant Ricard Camarena**, Valencia), Javi Estévez (La Tasquería*, Madrid) and Chele González (Gallery by Chele*, Manila), the four Michelin-starred chefs, shared their perspectives through live demonstrations on Spanish ingredients, seasonality and contemporary cuisine.
The training seminar also featured a dedicated roundtable session, creating space for industry guests to exchange views, experience and market insights
Spanish olive oils and wines also had their moment. Rosa Vañó, Commercial Director of Castillo de Canena shared the role of extra virgin olive oil in Spanish cuisine. Then, Master of Wine Fernando Mora guided guests through the diversity of Spanish wines and their pairing possibilities.
The day closed with a meeting with representatives of Restaurants from Spain, followed by a gala dinner. A collaborative menu by the guest chefs, paired with wines selected by Fernando Mora, brought everything back to what Spain does best: food, wine and long conversations around the table.
