Gastronomika opens to the world

The 18th edition of Gastronomika is about to start. It’s one of the most important signature cuisine congresses in the world and will take place on 2nd-5th October in the Basque Country, in San Sebastian (or Donostia in Basque), which this year is also a European Capital of Culture. It will be a special edition, therefore, which Gastronomika 2016 will celebrate with the presence of as many as six guest nations in its programme, for the first time in history.

Brazil, Japan, Turkey, South Africa, Australia and Hungary will represent culinary traditions and cultures from all 5 continents. They will present and compare local products, ancient and modern techniques, influences and blends for the audience in the Auditorium Kursaal in San Sebastian, through the lessons of 20 foreign chefs, a record number for this edition, on top of the other 25 Spanish chefs.

Among them we’ll find great names in international gastronomy, all included among the 100 best restaurants in the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best: from Japanese Yoshihiro Narisawa (Narisawa), to Brazilian Alex Atala (D.O.M.), South African Luke Dale-Roberts (The Test Kitchen Restaurant), Australian Peter Gilmore (Quay) and Turkish Mehmet Gürs (Mikla). Hungarians Szabina Szulló and Tamás Széll (Onyx) are not in the list yet but they’ve just won the prestigious Bocuse D'Or.

Jock Zonfrillo will also arrive from Australia to San Sebastian. The chef has part Scottish part Italian origins and in his restaurant Orana, in Adelaide, he interprets with creative curiosity the food history and culture of Australia’s native people, foraging daily so as to enrich dishes with wild vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds. It will be an interesting anticipation of what Zonfrillo himself will present in March 2017 in the new edition of the Identità Golose congress in Milan.

Another news presented by Gastronomika’s technical committee is the idea of inviting a chef and giving him the task of presenting, during his lesson, a possible future for signature cuisine. They chose Toni Romero (who worked at El Bulli during the last three years of its history and is now the chef at Suculent in Barcelona). Together with Quim Coll, in his other restaurant, 4 amb 5 mujades, also in the Catalan capital, he’s pursuing an innovative interpretation of vegetables in the kitchen. Please note that his interpretation is not strictly vegetarian: indeed it’s a matter of moving the attention in a dish from animal proteins to the vegetal element. Meat and fish are indeed part of the recipes, only they’re just used to make sauces, jus.

Another chef will also have a special part in the Gastronomika 2016 programme: Peruvian Gaston Acurio will receive a homage for his great career, which has transformed him into a real world ambassador of the very rich gastronomy of his country, thanks to the over thirty restaurants opened in twelve different countries. Even British sommelier Gerard Basset (Hotel Terra Vina) will receive a prize from the Gastronomika committee: the eight Gueridón De Oro.

Of course there will also be a selection of the best the always very lively culinary scene in Spain has to offer. As always, this year Gastronomika will host Joan Roca (El Celler de Can Roca), Carme Ruscalleda (Sant Pau), Ángel León (Aponiente), Ramón Freixa (Ramón Freixa) and of course many others too. Including almost all the members of the Technical Committee running the Congress, representing the Basque territory hosting the event: Elena and Juan Mari Arzak (Arzak), Martín Berasategui (Martín Berasategui), Josean Alija (Nerua), Hilario Arbelaitz (Zuberoa), Andoni Luis Aduriz (Mugaritz) and Pedro Subijana (Akelarre).