Catalan foods and wines take centre stage in the Master Class for prescribers in Mexico

Prodeca, in collaboration with the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia in Mexico and Central America, has organised, from 19 to 23 October at ISU Universidad de Puebla, which specialises in gastronomic training and restaurant business management, a programme on Catalan gastronomy and wines. The event combined seven theoretical and practical sessions to promote Catalan products among future professionals and prescribers in Mexico.

The Master Class on Catalan Gastronomy and Wines offered five days of training with culinary preparations, demonstrations and guided tastings. The aim was to present the diversity of Catalonia's foods and beverages and their applications in the restaurant sector.

The programme included 26 teaching hours spread over seven sessions, aimed at specialised students, teachers, sommeliers and other profiles with prescribing capacity. The format was designed for 24 people, with practical work in eight teams of three participants.

Catalan cuisine and product applications

Chef and teacher Joan Creus Inglés delivered the sessions on the Mediterranean diet, molecular cuisine and Catalan pastry. With more than 25 years of experience in Catalonia and Mexico, he currently heads the kitchen of the Hotel Barceló Reforma in Mexico City.

The content linked the preparations to the ingredients and their origin, through dishes such as escalivada, arròs caldós and escudella. Contemporary techniques applied to Catalan flavours and pastry specialities such as crema catalana, coca de Sant Joan and carquinyolis were also covered.

The training on extra virgin olive oil from Catalonia, led by chef and teacher Gerardo Sánchez Mares, combined tasting with culinary applications. The selection of three references, including products from the PDOs Les Garrigues and Siurana, made it possible to explore sensory differences and their relationship with origin and production.

Vermouth had a dedicated session with Pilar Meré Palafox, sommelier, communicator and trainer, who led a guided tasting of four Catalan references.

A journey through Catalan wines

The programme devoted 9 hours to Catalan wines, with content on territories, varieties, types and production methods. Angelo Rivas, sommelier, teacher and specialised journalist, took charge of the theoretical part, while Pilar Meré led the tastings.

The journey covered twelve designations of origin, with a selection of nine wine and sparkling wine references. The sessions provided tools to recognise the diversity of Catalan winemaking and to communicate its characteristics in a professional setting.