A total of 13 chefs, 11 sommeliers and 2 product experts will present on the four main pillars of the island's gastronomy.
On Monday, January 26, artisan cheeses will take center stage at the 1st Gran Canaria Cheese Bites Competition and the local cuisine of Borja Marrero, in the main auditorium
“The land speaks, the diner guides” is the motto of Gran Canaria’s proposal for the 2026 Madrid Fusión international summit. A total of 13 chefs, 11 sommeliers, and 2 product experts will present this year, focusing on four key themes that will define the island’s gastronomy: valuing the land as the source of flavor; strengthening the island’s culinary identity; supporting the professionals who bring soul to the sector; integrating customer feedback into the culinary offerings of the various restaurants; and positioning the destination on the international gastronomic map.
“Without a doubt, gastronomy occupies a central place in economic diversification, generating industry, raising the island's profile, and supporting the primary sector. Furthermore, it allows us to recover territory, landscape, identity, and a sense of belonging, creating art through the manipulation of local products—a significant draw for tourism and the island community,” noted Antonio Morales, president of the Gran Canaria Island Council, during the presentation held at Gran Canaria Tourism, alongside the Tourism Councilor, Carlos Álamo; Luis Padrón, president of the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce, which collaborates with Gran Canaria Tourism in promoting gastronomic tourism; and some twenty professionals who are part of the delegation that will travel to Madrid from January 26 to 28.
In turn, the Carlos Álamo, Tourism Councillor of the Gran Canaria Island CouncilHe asserts that “at Madrid Fusión we're not asking for a place; we're going to reclaim the place that Gran Canaria has already earned. Because gastronomy today isn't just about cooking: it's culture, it's social cohesion, and it's an economic engine that's generating opportunities throughout the island, even outside the major tourist centers.” “Gran Canaria has an honest cuisine, a cuisine that doesn't imitate, and a cuisine that is recognizable. And that's exactly what we're bringing to Madrid: a gastronomy with identity, that listens to the customer, but that never loses its connection to its origins,” he insists.
Thus, this year, the island's renowned restaurants that will represent the island's gastronomy are: Abraham Ortega (Tabaiba*), José Luis Espino (Bevir by Lopesan), Borja Marrero (Muxgo***, *Michelin Green and 1 Repsol Sun), Desirée Cabrera (pastry chef at La Aquarela* and 2 Repsol Suns), Adrián García (Poemas by Hnos. Padrón* and 2 Repsol Suns), Ruymán González (Los Guayres* and 1 Repsol Sun); Aridani Alonso (Casa Romántica, 1 Repsol Sun and Michelin Guide Mention); Richard Díaz (Sorondongo, Michelin Guide Mention); and Manuel Villariño (La Palmera Sur, Repsol Guide Recommended). “Being at Madrid Fusión means having a showcase that opens doors to other markets. It's the most important gastronomic fair in the world and an opportunity for both us chefs and Gran Canaria Tourism. It's also a great chance to see and share what we're all doing with other colleagues,” said the chef of the Bevir by Lopesan restaurant, located in the Costa Meloneras hotel.
Restaurants attending for the first time Madrid Fusion Among the speakers at the Gran Canaria stand are brothers Miguel and Alberto Herrera (Camino al Jamonal), Manolo González (La Tunera), Saylem Cuevas (Lemusa), and pastry chef Dana Joher (AVE Pastelería Artesana). “It’s an honor to represent Gran Canaria and my hometown, La Aldea de San Nicolás, where we have top-quality produce that will allow us to present a diverse range of flavors. Gran Canaria has so much to offer in terms of gastronomy, and events like Madrid Fusión are a great opportunity to showcase it,” says Cuevas.
Since 2018, the island has been a regular participant in Madrid Fusión every January, and the restaurant dining room has taken center stage with each edition. This year, a total of 11 sommeliers will not only showcase the remarkable evolution of the sector but will also introduce the attending specialized journalists and influencers to wines, wineries, and the unique characteristics of the region that make them possible. Patricia Yrissarri (Vinófilos), Nikola Ivicik (La Aquarela), Diego Tornel (3rd Best Sommelier in Spain, Lopesan Group), Alba Bernal, Carlos Peña (Casa Romántica), Chaxiraxi Triana (Canarywine), Rafael Hurtado (Poemas by Hermanos Padrón), Sara González (La Garnacha de Sara), Josefina Rojas (Gran Canaria DO Regulatory Board), Beatriz Vega (Sorondongo), and Óscar Lafuente (World's Best Rum Mixologist, Arehucas) will be the ones championing the liquid side of our gastronomy. “It is an honor and a great recognition of all the work we have been doing on the island to be part of the commission that travels from Gran Canaria to Madrid Fusion. The dining room has regained a necessary prominence, in which more space and time are being invested; without a good dining room there is no experience, but there is still much to be done,” comments Beatriz Vega, head of service and sommelier of the Sorondongo restaurant.
The products themselves, those that embody the flavor of the region, will also take center stage: gofio (a type of flour), meats, fish, artisanal cheeses, tropical fruits, and honeys, among others. Inma Melián (a miller) and Isidoro Jiménez (a master cheesemaker) will be the product experts offering talks and tastings to further promote the gastronomic, nutritional, and cultural value of these products.
And the island's artisanal cheese will also take center stage at Madrid Fusión's multipurpose venue for the Gran Canaria Cheese Bites Competition on Monday, January 26. This is the first edition organized by Gran Canaria Tourism, through its gastronomic brand Saborea Gran Canaria, and in collaboration with the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce. Professionals from the restaurant industry and students from the sector will participate, both as contestants and on the judging panel. The aim of this competition is to recognize those who stand out for their creativity and ability to create unique dishes where Gran Canaria cheeses are the true stars.
Muxgo, in the main auditorium of Madrid Fusión
The Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España international gastronomy summit celebrates its 24th edition from January 26 to 28 in Pavilion 14 of IFEMA and aims to surpass the record figures of 2025: more than 26.000 professional visitors, more than 1.357 accredited journalists.
The organization believes this is “the most international and experiential edition yet, featuring top chefs from Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Japan, the USA, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal.” But they also point out that this edition marks a structural shift in gastronomy: the motto is “The Customer Takes Control,” aiming to reflect on and explore how the customer has gone from being passive to feeling like a protagonist and rejecting the obligatory; as well as how to balance the chef's creativity with the diner's freedom.
And in this conceptual scenario, where great figures such as Aitor Zabala (creator of Somni***, Los Angeles), Pía León (Kjolle, Lima), Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, (Disfrutar***, Barcelona) and Albert Adrià (who will receive the award The Best Chef of the Year in Europe), among many others, will participate, Borja Marrero (Muxgo*, * Green Michelin and 1 Repsol Sun) will participate to show his territorial cuisine in the presentation “The lactic power of wheys: new flavors and textures”.