Marta Minoves, Catalonia's best young chef 2024

Yesterday, 5 March, Sant Pol de Mar hosted the 43rd University Gastronomy Day, hosting together for the first time the 36th Catalan Young Cooking Competition and the 40th Catalan Young Cocktail Competition, two of the country's longest-running culinary competitions, organised by EUHT StPOL.

The morning belonged to 9 young chefs studying at various Catalan hospitality and gastronomy schools, who produced an innovative version of a typical Catalan recipe. They then defended it before a jury chaired by chef Albert Sastregener, co-owner of the two-Michelin-star, two-Repsol-sun restaurant Bo.TiC (Corçà).

The jury also included Gemma Moliner, of Prodeca's Gastronomy Area (the promoter of Catalan food, Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia); Rosa Mayordomo, secretary general of the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy and Nutrition (ACGN); i Fernando Toda, representing the professional gastronomy publisher Vilbo. They assessed technique and skill, creativity and originality, flavours, presentation and the dish's story, among other things.

Prizes were awarded in 5 categories. After the jury's deliberations, "Interpretation of grandma Marta's patates emmascarades", presented by Marta Minoves, a CETT-UB student, was the highest-scoring dish overall and received the overall prize of the Catalan Young Cooking Competition. She also received the Catalan Food prize, awarded to the dish with the greatest potential to represent the Catalan Region of Gastronomy at the European Young Chef Award in Sicily in November.

The The best presentation prize and the imagination and creativity prize went to "Catalan-style salt cod with Maresme caviar" by Júlia Vidal, a student at EUHT StPOL. Finally, Daniela Castro, of EH Osona, won the skill prize and best technique, with her "wild boar tacos".

The finalists' dishes