The 10th Fòrum Gastronòmic Girona opens with bread, sustainability, the flavors of the sea and the mountains and innovations in cooking as the first major protagonists

Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca (El Celler de Can Roca) present and prepare more than a dozen dishes and desserts that are part of a menu committed to the territory and the circular economy

The 10th edition of the Fòrum Gastronòmic Girona opened this morning and for three days, until next Wednesday, March 13, it will combine a hundred activities and competitions in the Palau de Fires and the Devesa area with the presence of nearly 150 speakers and 160 exhibitors. On the first day, the reference event for professionals in the world of cooking and catering had a large number of attendees and had as its main protagonists the flavors of the sea and the mountains, culinary innovations, sustainability and the present and future of bread. Paco Pérez (Miramar), Anna Bellsolà (Baluard) and Fina Puigdevall and Carlota and Martina Puigvert (Les Cols) have been some of the first notable names that have passed through the contest today, which also offered a talk by the brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca (El Celler de Can Roca), in charge of presenting live more than a dozen dishes from their current menu, committed to the territory and the circular economy. With the desire to focus on local products and professionals, the Forum becomes a platform to learn about news, products and services. Also innovations in terms of business models, trends, equipment and technology, such as a robot that prepares coffee or packaging made from rice husks. The awards ceremony for the best xuixo ​​in the world and the most outstanding steak tartar in the State have shared space with the tasting of the products of the Girona Excel·lent seal, a guided beer tasting and numerous talks on gin, coffee and prawn and fish from Palamós.

Bread is one of the four pillars of this edition of the Forum and has become the protagonist of the first symposium of the day. Anna Bellsolà (Baluard), Marietta Richter (Safo), Eduard Quer (Quer pastry shop), Joan Serra (IRTA – Mas Badia) and Àngel Segarra (Girona Artisan Bakers Guild) have assessed the present and future of this food, its role in the hospitality industry and have listed the different varieties that have been obtained from the research. Bellsolà has focused on the bread revolution, while Richter has explained the process of making his own bread to incorporate it into his restaurant. Integrated production has also been discussed as a system that is still unknown, but at the same time necessary to promote local products that are respectful of the environment and people. It is also relevant for the Girona species of Montjuïc wheat, which disappeared some time ago but is currently in the process of recovery so that it can be used again in the production of flour.

The contest had its official opening mid-morning with the presence of the authorities and members of the organization. Among others, Lluc Salellas (mayor of Girona), Miquel Noguer (president of the Provincial Council of Girona), Joan Martí (director of the Territorial Business and Labor Services of the Generalitat of Catalonia), Vanessa Peiró (deputy delegate of Girona Excel·lent and Markets of the Provincial Council of Girona), Gemma Geis (Vice Mayor, 1st Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Economic Promotion of the Girona City Council), Joaquim Ayats (2nd Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Culture of the Girona City Council), Coralí Cunyat (director of Fira de Girona), Josep Maria Matamala (director of Incatis SL, organizing company of the Girona Gastronomic Forum) and Salvador Garcia-Arbós (content director of the Forum).

Sea, mountains and a talk with tasting included by the Roca brothers

The renowned chefs Paco Pérez (Miramar) and Fina Puigdevall (Les Cols) have held a dialogue with the journalist Carme Gasull to talk about the flavors of the sea and the mountains, another of the main themes and backbone of the Girona Gastronomic Forum. The meeting has served to underline the importance of small merchants, such as butcher shops, fruit shops and fishmongers, at the same time that a call has been made to save farm workers and fishermen. Defined the demarcation of Girona as a “genuine” territory and a “power” in terms of sea and mountain cuisine, Puigdevall has spoken about the cuisine he carries out in his restaurant, explaining that “the landscape is our main source of inspiration”, while Pérez recalled that “we are a land that has a lot of culture and history to continue innovating. We are what we eat, but then there are a thousand ways to dress it and here, if we have something, it is raw materials and creativity to be pioneers in this aspect.” Double prominence for the Les Cols restaurant, with the talk given by sisters Carlota and Martina Puigvert. The session, with tasting included, served to offer a contemplative look at the orchard and chicken coop of Casa Horitzó, a building designed by Fina Puigdevall in the Vall de Bianya. The most recent work in R&D allows the creation of dishes with local products, in a more natural and vegetal environment, promoting sustainable cuisine and care for the earth. Paco Pérez has also repeated the experience in the afternoon in the Gastronomic Auditorium space, with a session accompanied by a food test.

The last protagonists of the day were the brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca (El Celler de Can Roca), internationally renowned culinary leaders who were in charge of closing the day with the conference entitled 'Research, consciousness and cooking'. The meeting has become an opportunity to learn about their most current menu through the explanation of the creative process and the live preparation and presentation of 10 dishes and 4 desserts. The presentation, a three-way showcooking, has served to defend territoriality, local products and seasonal foods by presenting a menu marked by a strong ecological conscience that is committed to the territory and the circular economy. “We want to explain our entire creative process so that people know more closely what we are doing today at El Celler de Can Roca and what happens in the Mas Marroch orchard. We try to raise awareness to recover the seeds and to promote the idea of ​​biodiversity and the fruit's own production,” Josep Roca stressed.

Recognition for the best xuixo ​​and steak tartar

The short and medium-term future of gastronomy and the dining room has been addressed in a debate titled 'Next Generation' that has been moderated by the journalist Jordi Aparicio and has become a meeting point for young professionals from both sectors, who have offered their point of view on the future of the profession. At the same time, one of the different awards for this first day of the Forum was presented. 'Xuixcooking' was held in the Gastronomic Bar space and the pastry chef Gisela Bellart, from the Triomf pastry shop in Barcelona, ​​in the Poblenou neighborhood, was awarded as the creator of the best xuixo ​​in the world. Pepe Ron, from Bar Blanco de Cangas de Narcea (Asturias), has been unanimously the winner of the third edition of the contest that has recognized the best steak tartare in the Spanish state. The Tramuntana Bread competition was awarded to Enric Colls and Joaquim Barnés, from Fleca y Pastelería Can Campanyó in Sils y Vidreres. The tastings have also been present throughout the day. That of the products that are part of the Girona Excel·lent seal and other foods, such as Palamós shrimp and fish, Damm beers, organic infusions, artisan gins and coffee.

Tomorrow's event will have as its most notable events, among others, a monograph dedicated to the wild boar in the Gastronomic Auditorium, the presentation of the new variety of Tutti apple, the third edition of the contest that awards the best Easter monkey and numerous talks that They will relate gastronomy to women, heritage and tourism.

The origins of the Gastronomic Forum

In 1995, the first Firatast was organized, a tasting competition for gastronomic novelties that served as the starting point of a new model of fair and gastronomic event based on the exchange of tickets for food and drink tastings. Organized by Incatis SL, a company from Girona specialized in the field of food, gastronomy and tourism, this fair model has expanded throughout Catalonia to reach its 26th edition. The current format has its usual location in Girona and has been exported in other towns such as Blanes, Olot, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, La Farga de l'Hospitalet, Manresa, Reus and Lleida. In the case of the Firatast Girona, it is visited by more than 15,000 people and lasts 4 days.

At the same time, in 1999 the Gastronomic Forum was born in Vic, a project promoted by Jaume Von Arend and Pep Palau. Both reached an agreement with the organizers of Firatast to bring the Forum to Girona in 2007. From February 17 to 21 of that year, its first edition took place, offering the city year after year a program with presentations and master sessions by of chefs and gastronomy professionals with worldwide prestige.

After the first seven editions in the Girona capital, in 2020 Incatis SL reached an agreement to acquire the Girona Gastronomic Forum trademark and in this way the company became the sole organizer. Another step forward that has confirmed this event as the great gathering of gastronomy and restoration in the province with an international presence, which has grown over the years to become a benchmark event in this sector.