CATALAN FOOD EXPERIENCE CHICAGO

Prodeca - Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food is organising Catalan Food Experience, a professional culinary experience dedicated to promoting Catalan food, wines and beverages, to be held on 4 November 2026 in Chicago.

The aim is to strengthen awareness of the Catalan products already in the US market, promote the region's culinary and commercial offering and generate business opportunities in Chicago and the Great Lakes region.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT

The event will bring together an exclusive group of 15 to 20 professionals selected for their purchasing, decision-making and advocacy capacity. Invitations will be aimed primarily at chefs, sommeliers and food opinion leaders, HORECA professionals, specialist media, specialist shop managers, distributors and importers.

Chef Alba Sunyer and sommelier Meritxell Falgueras will lead the experience, combining gastronomy, food pairing and sensory discovery. The participating companies' products will be incorporated into the dishes and tastings, with a presentation of their origin, characteristics and culinary uses.

The small-group format will allow personalised attention for guests and conversation about the products and how they might be added to the region's culinary and commercial offering.

This activity aims to help create and consolidate a network of professionals connected to the Catalan offering in Chicago and its catchment area, with particular attention to the Great Lakes region as a whole. For this reason, it is aimed at companies that already have products in the US market, preferably with distribution in this area.

PROGRAMME OF THE CULINARY EXPERIENCE

• Date: Wednesday, 4 November 2026
• Venue: Mama Delia restaurant - 1721 W Division St Chicago, IL 60622 Wicker Park Area
• Sectors: Catalan food and drink

The event will take place in a private space suited to the exclusive nature and small-group format of the experience. The venue is led by Chef Marcos Campos, the youngest Spanish chef to earn a Michelin star in the United States.

Catalan Food Experience - A Sensory Journey Genetic Sequences

• 6.00 p.m. | Reception and sensory welcome

Welcome drink and an aroma-recognition activity linked to Catalonia's products and landscapes, led by the sommelier.

• 6.35 p.m. | Guided pairing dinner: a journey through the flavours of Catalonia

The chef and the sommelier will present a menu inspired by the cycle of the seasons, linking food and wine to the landscape, the culinary traditions and the creativity of Catalan cooking.

During each course, the dishes and pairings will be explained, identifying the participating companies and the availability of the products in the local market. The dinner will include sensory discovery activities around aromas, flavours and textures.

• 8.00 p.m. | After-dinner conversation and professional exchange

The Catalan sobretaula will lead into the final part of the experience, with a space for conversation to share feedback on the products and explore possible commercial collaborations.

• 8.30 p.m. | End of the event

FORM OF PARTICIPATION

Participation takes the form of supplying product, through the importer or distributor, for inclusion in the pairing dinner and the tastings.

The activity is aimed at Catalan food, wine and beverage companies that meet the following requirements:

• Have product on sale in the United States, preferably with distribution in Chicago or other parts of the Great Lakes region.
• Supply, through the importer or distributor, the quantities agreed with Prodeca, within the stated deadlines and to the stated delivery point.
• Provide the technical and commercial information needed to present the products and their market availability correctly.

Registering does not mean participation is automatically accepted. Selection will be made by the professionals leading the event, based on how well the products fit the menu and the pairings, how the references complement one another and commercial availability in the area of interest.

The selected products will be presented by the chef and the sommelier, with no individual exhibition spaces. Supplying product does not automatically include attendance by the company or its importer, given the limited number of guests.

Once the selected references are confirmed, Prodeca will communicate the quantities required and the delivery instructions, in coordination with the companies and their importers.
 

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION AND REGISTRATION DEADLINE

• Taking part in this activity is free of charge for the selected companies.

Participating companies must supply the selected product for the tastings and pairings, in the quantities agreed with the organisers.

Interested companies must complete the registration form before 12 October, stating the references proposed, their commercial availability and the contact details of their importer or distributor in the United States.