Markets take centre stage as Catalonia becomes World Region of Gastronomy
Barcelona joins in with the programme for Catalonia World Region of Gastronomy 2025. Throughout the year, municipal markets will be offering activities such as the “Tasta’m” series, the Market of Markets ad the Little Market of Markets. The city will also be organising new tastings, cookery displays, fairs and food cycles, combining the tradition and innovation typical of Catalan cuisine.
The first event is on Saturday, 17 May, with the Little Market of Markets in Provençals, kicking off a series of six live cookery displays by chefs from the winning restaurants and finalists in the Barcelona Resturació awards, under the name “Mercats de forquilla. Barcelona. Cuina autèntica. Rebost local”.
Juanba Agreda, from the Terraza Martínez restaurant, will be offering a session on cooking seafood, highlighting local ingredients and aspects such as sustainability. Agreda will be cooking two recipes with fresh produce from the vegetable garden and the fish auction: white asparagus from Gavà with a mixed seafood salad and wild mussels with charred garlic.
On 14 June, at the Mercat de la Guineueta, it’s the turn of chefs Jaume Marambio and Vicky Maccarone from the restaurant Alapar, who will be preparing recipes with flavour, fusion and balance as their cornerstone.
The activity on 27 September comes within the context of the Terra i Gust sustainable food fair, with the team from the Casa Amàlia restaurant. The fourth activity is on 18 October and will be part of the Market of Markets, with Sergi Clapés and Josep Armenteros directed by Carles Gaig as they offer traditional Catalan cuisine combined with modern contemporary techniques.
The fifth session will be at the Gastronomic Forum Barcelona on 3 November, where the Milan chef Fabio Gambirasi from the restaurant Agreste will be sharing his journey between Catalan and Italian cuisine. And the sixth and final session, at the Mercat del Bon Pastor on 29 November, comes with the title “Megem-nos el barri” and will be given by Segovia cook Beltrán Sastre, who together with head waiter Erola Vila runs the restaurant Echegaray.
The recipes created during the cycle will be complied in an online recipe collection so that everybody can try them at home.
International distinction for Catalan gastronomy
Catalonia is the first European regions to receive the distinction World Region of Gastronomy, awarded by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, highlighting the rich agri-food heritage of Catalan cuisine. The distinction not only recognises a top-class gastronomy destination, but also an innovative territory, able to connect its food heritage with values such as sustainability, quality and social cohesion.
