26 February 2024 – Live cooking shows paired local renowned chefs and young cooking talents with the aim to promote the delicious Menorcan gastronomy. In quest to find the Menorcan Young Chef 2024 who will represent the island at IGCAT’s 8th European Young Chef Award, Menorca European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 celebrated nine travelling cooking shows across its eight municipalities, highlighting local products and recipes.
Held between December 2023 and February 2024, the live cooking showcased special recipes for the local attendees. At the same time, the events offered the opportunity to present the Menorcan Young Chef competition throughout the island and entice potential contestants to take up the challenge.
The chefs involved included:
Pilar González, owner of Can Tanu restaurant and Joan Caballo, from Sa Nansa restaurant and currently enrolled at CETT-UB in Barcelona, who prepared a Christmas menu based on cod fritters and galetas (local pasta) filled with hake and prawns, in Fornells;
Miquel Mariano, from Ca n’Aguedet and Francesc Aguiló, from Binifadet who delighted the audience in Es Mercadal with their Christmas Sauce;
José González, from restaurant Flamante who cooked some Menorcan-style Calamari with students from IES Maria Àngels Cardona, Carlos Perelló y Kevin Ruz in Ciutadella;
Young chef, Biel Arias who proposed a dish of meatballs with almond sauce, supported by councillor Txiqui Arévalo in Alaior;
Carlos Juanico, teacher and chef at Ca n’Aguedet cooking school, and student Íria Mascaró, who prepared oliaigua (Menorcan traditional recipe) with shrimps and mayonnaise with roasted coral in Maó;
Adolfo Quintana, cook at Ca n’Aguedet who presented black-eyed peas with pumpkin and squid, together with Francesc Aguiló in Sant Lluís;
Tomeu Carreras and Óscar Roca, who elaborated their own version of Perdices de capellán (literally, Chaplain’s partridges), a recipe based on veal rolls, in Ferreries;
Paco González and Marino Rodrigo, who produced a cod brioche with curry and mango tartar sauce for the audience in Es Castell;
Biel Portella and Pol Cabestany, who cooked together a dish of pickled rabbit with a touch of fennel and cabbage chutney in Es Migjorn Gran.
Organised by the Fundació Foment del Turisme de Menorca (FFTM), the travelling cooking shows recruited five finalists to the Menorcan Young Chef 2024 competition that was celebrated on 10 February IES M. Àngels Cardona school.
All of them were challenged to cook the traditional panadera de be, a typical lamb recipe from Menorca, and then propose their own innovate version of the dish. Eventually, Óscar Roca won the hearts of the jury, which included two previous finalists to the European Young Chef Award: Pau Sintes, winner of the 2022 edition and Cristina Pons, 2nd Prize at the 2023 edition. Together with finalists from other candidate and awarded European Regions of Gastronomy, Óscar will participate at IGCAT’s 8th European Young Chef Award, to be held in Sicily (European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025) on 27-30 November 2024.
About the European/World Regions of Gastronomy
Candidate and awarded World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; drive environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; support balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlight and support expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practises; and contribute to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance to protect and promote distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguard our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.