Raúl Gisbert, finalist of the European Young Chef Award

Trondheim (Norway) hosted the final of the European Young Chef Award on November 12, which included the participation of chef Raúl Gisbert. The Catalan representative was not able to win the final, but his dish, "Reinterpretation of vermouth", was highly rated for the variety of aromas and flavors.

The victory was taken by Menorca (European Gastronomy Region 2022) and its representative, Pau Sintes Juanico, with his dish 'Aubergines a la Menorquina: simple and complex'. The dish won the jury, chaired by chef Espen Laumann, winner of the 2021 edition, who valued the explosion of flavors and the combination of colors and textures.

Raúl Gisbert, 22, born in Arenys de Mar, is a student at the EUHT StPOL culinary school. The chef reached the final of the competition after becoming the Best Young Chef in Catalonia, a competition organized by the Hotel-Escola de Sant Pol de Mar last May. As members of the platform of the European Regions of Gastronomy (European Region of Gastronomy), Prodeca (Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda) and the Catalan Tourism Agency (Department of Business and Work) promote that cooking winner of the Cuina Jove de Catalunya competition is the candidate who represents Catalonia in the European final of the European Young Chef Award (EYCA) competition.

In order to bring a homemade spirit to his creations, Raúl Gisbert's "Reinterpretation of vermouth" dish is inspired by the Maresme landscape and the social act of vermouth and the fact of enjoying an aperitif in company . before a meal. "For me, vermouth is a concept closely linked to family. That is why I liked to innovate the gastronomic proposal of a social event that is common in Catalonia and that reinforces the importance of sharing around a table. Being able to show a new approach to traditional vermouth means a lot to me because I am able to transmit not only a dish but a distinctive social food tradition traditionally typical of Catalonia", says Gisbert.
 

Promoted by the IGCAT (Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism), the European Young Chef Award (EYCA) is an event that brings together the nine chefs winners of regional competitions from all over Europe and aims to promote innovations in the traditional cuisine, highlight sustainable food cultures and create future chef ambassadors for local regions and food products.

The event also aims to present and exchange knowledge about traditional dishes and local food products from their regions and then compete by proposing their innovative reinterpretation of traditional recipes, judged by star chefs and international experts.
 

In 2016 Catalonia was declared a European Gastronomy Region. The distinction, which highlights the different European food cultures, aims to extend education for healthy and sustainable eating, encourage gastronomic innovation and, ultimately, contribute to a better quality of life for people.

The legacy of Catalonia European Region of Gastronomy 2016 aims to position the local agri-food product as a unique exponent of the territory and as the basis of a cuisine that brings a particular accent to the culture; to position Catalonia for its products, its cuisine and as a food and wine tourist destination.