Gran Canaria shines at Madrid Fusion with its unique combination of tradition and culinary avant-garde

 

The gastronomy of Gran Canaria has stood out on the second day of Madrid Fusion, without losing its essence, with flavours that immerse you in your memories and products that have been part of the island's gastronomy, presented and prepared with modern and innovative techniques. The perfect pairing of tradition and modernity that the island offers has stood out in the central corridor of pavilion 14 of Ifema, where the renovated 60-metre stand of Gran Canaria cuisine is located. "I think there has been a great evolution of chefs who have realised the great potential that our products have and who want to strongly say that Gran Canaria is here, an island that offers a perfect mix between traditional and exceptional avant-garde cuisine and that is now established as its main strength and places us as one of the most important gastronomies in the country," said the head chef of the Morro Colorao restaurant, Manuel García, who has prepared, at the Madrid event, a Canarian goat stew with different textures.

 

The cuisine of Gran Canaria, a proposal based on the perfect symbiosis between high-level professionals, mostly young people trained in the best kitchens on the continent and who have returned home to work with passion on zero-kilometre products, and the identity of local products, triumphs at the Madrid Fusión gastronomic fair, dedicated on this occasion to the revolutionaries of Spanish gastronomy of the last 30 years. “This is the revolution that we are experiencing today with Gran Canarian gastronomy, something that has allowed us to considerably increase tourist turnover, has become one of the main motivators for customers when choosing Gran Canaria as a destination and, almost more importantly, has allowed the turnover of non-tourist municipalities to grow by 40% in the last five years,” said the Councillor for Tourism of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, who celebrated the evolution of island gastronomy during the eighth presence of the round island at the main gastronomic fair in Spain and one of the most important in Europe.

 

'This would not have been possible without the talent and commitment of our chefs and professionals. Here we not only see a different product like ours and a team of professionals like we have never had, but this revolution that gastronomy is experiencing is made from the union and the team concept that we feel at this event. It is also a time to share and grow together and it is praiseworthy to see and feel the affection with which they come together to highlight the many good things that Gran Canaria has, with recipes that can and should boast to the international client with their own identity that makes us have a historic turnover record, with figures that exceed 6 thousand million. There is still much to do and at Turismo de Gran Canaria we have quadrupled our budget and we will continue investing in our cuisine, which is at least as good as the best in Spain. The truth is that it is giving very good results,' said Álamo.   

 

 

 

 

“Right now we see how there are small producers who are defending our land. They are saving abandoned vineyards when there was no generational change. That is where the current revolution comes from. It makes us proud and defends our wines and our gastronomy,” explained winemaker Alba Bernal. “We have so much variety that you don’t have to leave Gran Canaria to enjoy the best wine, with its varieties and its own identity because even if it is the same grape it is very different, with its microclimates or with vines that are more than 200 years old. It is something unique and that does not exist in other places,” she added. 

 

Clear proof of the good moment of Gran Canaria cuisine and the influence of its chefs and professionals came once again from the hand of Borja Marrero. The Gran Canarian chef, with roots in Tejeda, was invited and included by Madrid Fusion in the select group of chefs, called 'Revolutionaries of world cuisine in the last 30 years' and shared space with other greats of national cuisine such as Alberto Adria or Martín Berasategui, so that the island's cuisine now has a presence among the most relevant and influential names in the country.

 

The Gran Canaria space on the second day of Madrid Fusion featured Aridani Alonso and the Romántica house; Manu Garcia from Morro Colorao, Abraham Ortega and his Tabaiba or Kilian Nordelo, from La Catedral Bistró. Also featured were product experts such as Isidoro Jiménez, Víctor Lugo, Ana Bernal, Chaxiraxi Triana and Óscar Lafuente, Brand Manager of Ron Arehucas.   

 

Chef Abraham Ortega (Tabaiba restaurant, 1 Michelin Star) has participated in the eight consecutive editions of Madrid Fusion, and the island has been there once again. “Every year we are improving and it is great to see people's interest in learning more about Gran Canarian gastronomy, and with this new format of the stand we can transmit in a more personal way what we do and everything we can offer,” says the chef from Tabaiba.

 

The restaurants Muxgo (1 Michelin Star and 1 Green Michelin Star) and Casa Romántica (Recommended in the Michelin Guide) completed the cooking demonstrations with their respective liquid harmonies. 

 

Rum, on the other hand, through the knowledge and cocktails of Óscar Lafuente (Brand Ambassador of Arehucas) was also the protagonist; cheeses, by Isidoro Jiménez; wines, through sommeliers Chaxiraxi Triana (Canary Wine) and Alba Bernal; and coffee, by Víctor Lugo, showed the quality of our Km0 products and liquid harmonies. “Each edition is a new challenge, since we have to propose new wines and harmonies. This year, in addition to the wines, I have incorporated Valleseco cider and it is very satisfying to see how those who try it are surprised by the quality and are interested in buying them.

 

According to Victor Lugo, on Tuesday, “Gran Canaria has once again shone, thanks to the work of all the professionals in the sector and the wonderful local products that the island offers.”

 

 

Another day to see the “revolutionaries” of Gran Canaria gastronomy

 

This Wednesday, the presentations will continue at the Gran Canaria stand at Madrid Fusión, with the help of the restaurants La Aquarela, Palmera Sur, Berro Bistró and Sábor. Those in charge of creating liquid harmonies for the dishes, with wines from the Gran Canaria Designation of Origin, will be the sommeliers Nikola Iviic (La Aquarela), Diego Tornel (Meliá Paradisus), Patricia Yrisarri (Vinófilos), Chaxiraxi Triana (Canarywine), Jessica Jorge, Borja Suárez (Sábor) and Alba Bernal.

 

For their part, those in charge of defending local products and some of the gastrotourism experiences that the island offers, through tastings and presentations, are Isidoro Jiménez (cheeses), Víctor Lugo (coffee) and Óscar Lafuente (rum and spirits).