Young professionals from Gran Canaria lead the gastronomy revolution in Madrid Fusión

 

“The impact of the gastronomy of Gran Canaria reaches the entire country. Not only do we talk more, but we talk better, which is what is important. There is much to do and we should not rest on our laurels, but it is a reality that the peninsular is beginning to look at Gran Canaria and appreciate that there is much more than sun and beach. In my opinion, gastronomy is at the forefront of all this.” With this word, Julia Pérez Lozano summarized the sensations experienced at the Gran Canaria stand during the second day of the Madrid Fusión gastronomy fair, where a generation of young chefs, in which none of its members is over 40 years old, It is attracting a lot of attention from the sector. 

 

 

 

The bet has been decided for several years, as well as the path to follow, as explained this Tuesday by the Minister of Tourism of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, at the international fair in Madrid, before explaining that from the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, “ We have understood that it was time to clearly bet on it, diversify our tourist offer and bet heavily on the quality of our product, which is betting on our territory, on our producers and on our professionals, who are very good, like great assets of the increasing the quality of our tourist offer. And the client has understood this, who is willing to pay for it, so we can distribute tourism income a little better among all the municipalities." For their part, the chefs, true protagonists in Madrid Fusión, explained that their keys lie in a tooth and nail defense of the island's product and the recognition of the primary sector. 

 

 

 

 

This was stated, literally, by sommelier Sara González, who together with Alba Bernal and Patricia González, accompany the chefs these days with a recommendation of pairings to accompany their preparations. Sara was the first to take the stage at the Gran Canaria stand, along with Muxgo's proposal, in a day that started at 10:30 a.m. and ended at 20 p.m. “The selected team of chefs is a representative sample of what is being done on the island and that goes far beyond the act of eating and drinking,” she explained, before adding: “what we are doing is a radical commitment to the territory, through professionals who are more or less the same age and we have been pushing hard for many years, although our faces are beginning to be known now. We have been working for years and what we do is a tooth and nail defense of our product and the primary sector of Gran Canaria. 

 

The surprise of the afternoon came when Borja Marrero took first place in the Aquanaria Madrid Fusión Foods of Spain Sustainability contest, a chef who was already distinguished during the first day with the III Foods of Spain Madrid Fusión 2023 Award. The proposal sustainable chef from Gran Canaria, through the defense of the local genre of Tejeda. “For me it means a lot, even more so taking into account the rest of the proposals that were nominated. I feel very happy and I couldn't be more proud to bring the award to the Island and be part of all the professionals who are doing beautiful things in Gran Canaria," declared the chef, who had previously presented a part of the from Muxgo's Tunera menu, with a candied prickly pear tartare. In addition, he made a live pickle of prickly pear with cochineal. Finally, he showed the cutting of the sheep, which is what identifies them in the last year, in which they worked on the Gran Canaria sheep, enhancing its flavor and value for the enjoyment of the public present in the Gran Canaria space, which did not decrease of a hundred people throughout the day.

 

 

 

 

“We have the best product, with a basket of vegetables all year round that is incredible. We have incredible fish and brutal meats. We had it there. Maybe we don't quite believe it, but now that we have seen it and we are believing in it, we are spreading it, which is the only thing the product needed to convince the consumer,” added Borja Marrero. 

 

Other protagonists of the day were Abraham Ortega and Aser Martín, from Tabaiba, one of the new features of the 2022-2023 Michelin guide. Ortega, nominated for best revelation chef at Madrid Fusión 2023, explained that “in the end the chef searches his territory, he looks at the product, at its origin and what we do is first go back to what was before, but adapting it to the present. It is what defines the chefs of our generation and this is in my opinion the most powerful change that is taking place on the Island. We are aware of the work and that there is a generational change. But we do it without forgetting all the good work done before by our colleagues, and it is true that we have come together and we are doing very interesting things,” Ortega acknowledged. His proposal on stage had to do with classic elements such as gofio pella, a jarea with onions and chickpeas with egg yolk, for the evolution that occurs from the traditional origin to the modern reinterpretation. 

 

 

 

 

The sweet and pastry part was signed by Desirée Cabrera and Nikola Ivisic, her maitre and sommelier at La Aquarela, an establishment that recovered the Michelin star for Gran Canaria in 2019. On the second day of Madrid Fusión they offered the three desserts on the Aquarela menu , which are linked to the island's cheeses. The first, with a mid-range cheese from the Tejeda area. In the second proposal they addressed the cheese making process. Finally, they integrated cheese and chocolate, with the aroma of rosemary, which is the combination that closes the menu in their restaurant. “We have a leading generation and very good products and we have to make it known, so that tourism and also the people of Gran Canaria know it, so that they can rediscover it in another way, with the reinterpretation of our chefs,” said Desirée Cabrera, before ensure that “we notice a significant increase in interest and customers on a daily basis. Now we have a lot of local people, which we didn't have before. Before, it was normal to have, above all, Nordic tourists and some Canarian tourists. Now there is a greater presence of Canarian and peninsular people and that means that our work is talked about.” 

 

Another notable figure of the day was Jenissé Ferrari, linked to the Qué Leche! restaurant, which is part of the proposals of the Michelin and Repsol guides. “We have a traveling cuisine, with a fusion between Latin America and Mediterranean cuisine. We try to focus on my personality and origins, something that flows in Gran Canaria because the client understands it and recognizes what I propose.” Among her proposals, a Cuban-style rice stood out, prepared in a minimalist way, with crunchy sushi rice, natural tomato, quail egg and a little kimchi, in addition to banana. They also presented a 'Causa de Octopus', with smoked goat cheese and gratin with a sweet chimichurri, which is a Venezuelan vegetable that is also grown in the Canary Islands. 

 

 

 

The focus on the territory has led to professionals being recognized by the most prestigious gastronomic guides, with 15 references in the Michelin Guide and 12 in the Repsol Guide.