NAVARRA GOURMET

More than 22,000 people took part in the International Congress Navarra Gourmet –Live Vegetables and the complete programme of activities laid on in Tudela and Pamplona from the 17th to the 20th of May for this great gastronomic event. The Professional Catering Showroom, which hosted the propositions and commercial encounters of more than seventy companies in this its twenty-first year, received around 12,000 visitors.

Detailed information on this great gastronomic event can also be found on www.reynogourmet.tv, Navarra Gourmet 09's web channel, which hosts more than 70 videos. While Navarra Gourmet was on, and in addition to the presence of this unique event on the Web through portals and gastronomic blogs, the Congress press office gave passes out to 35 newspapers, magazines, etc. and more than 250 journalists.

The coordination of this unique, gastronomic macro-encounter, which draws the wide range of events held in Pamplona over recent years into one, fell to the public-run company ICAN (The Agrifood Quality Institute of Navarra), www.icannavarra.com.

More than twenty institutions, associations and companies took part in the organisation and activities of Navarra Gourmet-Live Vegetables: Government of Navarra, City councils of Pamplona and Tudela, Sodena, Iberdrola, Reyno Gourmet, DO Navarra, Ciudad Agroalimentaria de Tudela, Cámara Navarra, Amedna, Asociación de Hostelería, Bosch, Diario de Navarra, Inedit, ,NH Hoteles, DO Aceite de Navarra, Castillo de Gorraiz, El Corte Inglés, Ega Informática, Bacalado Giraldo and Tefal.

The gastronomic options on offer at the congress provided more than 25,000 portions in three days in Pamplona, to which the 300 kilograms of asparagus and lettuce hearts served in Tudela after the opening event attended by El Gran Wyoming and Usun Yoon should be added.

The "Muralla" Room, with its double offer of portions from the historical cookbook of Navarrese cuisine and the products of the companies which earned special prizes from the Ciudad Agroalimentaria de Tudela, were very well received by the public, to such an extent that on the third day, Wednesday the 20th, the supplies of some restaurants and companies taking part even ran dry.

The Tapas runway, which repeated last year's success, was an ideal meeting point, congress delegates, professionals and the general public having the chance to try tasty titbits.

A total of 15 bars offered their most representative tapas. Nine of these represent the country's leading advocates of miniature cuisine and six are Navarrese bars which won Denomination of Origin prizes as part of the XI Tapas Week.

The foremost exponents of miniature cuisine were present: Aris bar (Madrid), Bitoque (Bilbao), Café Rioja (Calahorra), Dodo Club (Pamplona), El Embrujo (Pamplona), Estado Puro (Madrid), La Taberna del Gourmet (Alicante), La Moraga (Málaga), Melbourne (Pamplona), El Plató (Madrid), Pulpería Carballino (Pamplona), Otano (Pamplona), Yoldi (Pamplona), Taberna Viavélez (Madrid), Los Zagales de la Abadía (Valladolid).

Adriá and Hemingway

In addition to unique gastronomic propositions, Navarra Gourmet also hosted the debut “in society” of the Hemingway cocktail, made with Navarrese pacharán, around 8,000 glasses being prepared.

At this event, sponsored by the Government of Navarra's Department of Tourism, Ferrán Adriá spent just over two hours with dozens of congress delegates, admirers and journalists. There was also a chance to try his beer, “Inedit”, which he developed for Damm beers, and Adriá held personal interviews with eight journalists from the regional and national media. The Government of Navarra and the City Council of Pamplona are currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of the American writer's last visit to Pamplona, during the San Fermin fiesta.

The Chamber Hall was too small

The official opening of the Congress, the speeches by Pedro Subijana and Martín Berasategui, the awarding of the Navarra Gourmet prize to the Frenchman Michel Bras and Ferrán Adriá's extraordinary intervention were moments of special interest for the public, which packed out the Chamber Hall at Baluarte. The programme of the III Navarra Gourmet Congress was peppered with the finest speakers of the moment: the public had the chance to listen to the head chefs from seven of the fifty best restaurants in the world.

A hundred cooks from five countries, farmers, medical experts, university professors, etc. shared their knowledge and reflections, on many occasions filling those attending the 43 conferences programmed with great enthusiasm.

There were times during "I have a question for Ferrán Adriá" that the conference centre did not prove big enough, to the extent that more than a hundred people were unable to get into the Chamber Room for reasons of capacity and safety.

Manifesto in defence of Navarra Rosé

With 500 people in the hall of Baluarte, the Congress lived one of its most unique, media moments. Together with Ferrán Adriá and José Ribagorda, who hosted the event, the Government of Navarra's Autonomous Community Minister of Rural Development and the Environment, Begoña Sanzberro, and Pilar García-Granero, the chairwoman of the Regulating Council of D. O. Vinos de Navarra, denounced the European regulation which aims to allow the blending of white and red wine to make rosé, and whites and reds to make red, something which they assured “placed our Rosé and European Rosé in danger”.

Navarra is market leader in this area, with a 40% share, and they also pointed out that Rosé wine is "the only wine whose consumption has risen". As a symbolic act, Sanzberro and García Granero proposed a toast, together with Ferrán Adrià and José Ribagorda, with a glass of rosé wine. “Haute cuisine has to help its own, our world, the world of gastronomy. Chefs have to stand up for honest people who do things well. We have to support the survival of this rosé wine, the emblem of Navarra", the outstanding chef reflected.

See manifesto

Bloggers Championship

The vitality and amiability of the best chef in the world also led him to preside over the prize-giving ceremony of the 1st Navarra Gourmet Prize to the Best Gastronomic Blogs, alongside José Ribagorda, editor-presenter of Telecinco News and Pamplona City Councillor Fermín Alonso. The jury, chaired by the University of Navarra lecturer and author of eCuaderno, José Luis Orihuela, consisted of Carlos Maribona, Roberto González, Miguel Vila and Marta Borruel, who appraised the work and scope of a total of 135 candidates.

The prize-winners were:

• Diario de un Gourmet de Provincias, by Jorge Guitian, Best Gastronomic Blog .
• El Cocinero fiel, by Txaber Allué, Best Vlog, while the blog Tony Vacaciones y Derivados won the Newcomer category.
• Two runners-up prizes were also awarded to El Blog de Bertus and I+D en Mi Cocina.

Using this Encounter as a centrepiece, special coverage was provided on Web 2.0 to let people follow everything that was going on at the congress minute to minute. Numerous cybernauts followed the event on Twitter from the account specially opened for the occasion and from the one on which all the Round tables were broadcast, as well as from the personal accounts of some of the bloggers attending, who shared their different experiences with their followers.

More than fifty bloggers were given passes (the largest Encounter of gastronomic bloggers held to date in Spain); more than 200 fans signed up for the Facebook group and videos and photos were uploaded practically live on Youtube and Flickr.
navarragourmet.blogspot.com

The simple and great Michel Bras

The French chef Michel Bras, winner of the “Navarra Gourmet” Prize, has had three Michelin stars since 1999 and is one of the most influential chefs on the international scene. He arrived in Pamplona without making any demands, in quite a simple fashion, with his rucksack on his back and emanating an enviable air of peace. Before receiving his prize, Michel Bras agreed to sit in front of the cameras of a local TV channel, but before the interview even began, he said, “I'm sorry, but right now I can't talk about sensations which I am yet to experience. Please, let's do the interview after the prize and my speech".

After receiving an exclusive sculpture by Faustino Aizkorbe, he declared that it was “a great honour to receive this award, which is a prize to the world of vegetables.” He also stated that "the world of vegetables is the finest expression of what we have in cuisine and, at these times in which values are being lost, it is very important to turn towards this vegetable world".

At the prize-giving ceremony, Begoña Sanzberro, the Government of Navarra's Autonomous Community Minister of Rural Development and the Environment, said that she felt "great satisfaction for the Congress and for Bras". The Director General of SODENA, José Mª Aracama, and the Iberdrola delegate in Navarra, Ramón Tejadas, also took part in the prize-giving ceremony.

The chef Martín Berasategui defined him as “a chef who has made history as a chef and as a person. He still works with the same degree of humility he had when he wasn't known. He will form part of history". While working on subtraction at the beginning of the 80s, the award winner created a style which has changed the course of modern cooking. Few different elements on the one plate, the use of aromatic herbs picked just hours before, the abolition of cream and sauces, clarity, minimalism, sensitivity, rigour, extreme respect for seasonal produce and a strong attachment to his own roots.

One of Bras' most emblematic dishes is Gargouillou of vegetables (Gargouillou de jeunes légumes, dit classique, relevé des grains germées & d’herbes champêtre), a dish consisting of 30 different vegetables cooked separately. These are finally sautéed lightly in a frying-pan with a slice of ham and several shoots and aromatic herbs are added.

EVA awards

The Mayor of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina, presented the prize of female chef of the year to Lea Linster, the “star” of the Duchy of Luxembourg and the only woman ever to have won the prestigious Bocuse d´Or. The prize was awarded as part of the EVA Awards, organised by AMEDNA (Association of Women Entrepreneurs and Directors of Navarra) as part of Navarra Gourmet. This special finishing touch to the Congress was held in the main hall of Baluarte in the presence of more than 800 people.

The EVA International Awards recognise the leading position of women in different fields of gastronomy. Awards were also presented to the Italian Gianola Nonino (gastronomic entrepreneur), the Pole living in Spain Kasia Romanska (woman of wine), Carmen Casas (journalist) and Mandi Ciriza, the director of Canal Cocina (in the tendencies category).

Finally, and with great affection, Atxen Jiménez (Restaurante Túbal in Tafalla) was given the special prize for a life of gastronomy for her 50 years of devotion to and passion for the restaurant trade. This award, sponsored by the Government of Navarra's Department of Tourism, was presented by the President of the Community of Navarra, Miguel Sanz.

CAT: Gold Medals and Runners-up

Accompanied by Martín Berasategui and the General Manager of the Ciudad Agroalimentaria de Tudela (CAT), Germán Beróiz, the Government of Navarra's Autonomous Community Minister of Rural Development and the Environment, Begoña Sanzberro presented the gold medal for the best Spanish pre-cooked product to the Alava-based company Bacalao Giraldo and the gold medal for the best Navarra wine to Bodegas Urabain.

In all, the members of the jury tasted wines from 15 finalist winemakers and 65 dishes produced by 38 companies from different parts of Spain.

The succulent novelty at this third Congress, also sponsored by the Ciudad Agroalimentaria de Tudela, consisted of special prizes awarded to what the jury considered the best Navarrese products.

Rafael García Santos, co-technical director of the Congress with Koldo Rodero, chaired a jury consisting of various professionals and food lovers, responsible for tasting and choosing the ten most outstanding products from our gastronomy from among almost a hundred products and dishes. They were all subjected to "blind" tasting and marked according to a unifying points system. Following the jury's decision, the products selected were recognised by the Ciudad Agroalimentaria de Tudela with special prizes for quality, presented during the Congress. The products were also available to delight visitors at the afternoon session held in the "Muralla" Room.

There were products for all tastes: Cristal peppers and ceps in oil by Conservas Artesanas El Navarrico, Virgin olive oil from Navarra by La Maja, Chistorra sausage by Embutidos Arbizu, Batiku of junket by Postres Tradicionales de Ultzama, Rice pudding by Lácteos Goshua, Tudela artichokes and Piquillo peppers from Lodosa by Conservas Artesanas Pedro Luis, Brioche with goose foie gras and fig chutney by M. Etxenike, Asparagus from Navarra and Piquillo peppers from Lodosa by Conservas Dantza, Asparagus from Navarra by Conservas Cambra, Roncal cheese by Quesos Larra, Duck confit by Martiko, "Pocha" beans by Conservas D. Marco and Idiazabal cheese by Quesos Ricardo Remiro.

Gastronomic societies

The gastronomic society Estola Zaharra from Álava won the Gastronomic Society Championship held as part of the III International Congress Navarra Gourmet –Live Vegetables. The winners received the €3,000 prize money from the Government of Navarra's Autonomous Community Minister of Culture and Tourism, Juan Ramón Corpas.

The Pamplona society Napardi won the second prize of €2,000 and the Gaztelubide society from Guipúzcoa came third (€1,000).

Seven gastronomic societies cooked typical Navarrese dishes at the final. The finalists were: Gaztelubide and Unión Artesana, from Guipúzcoa, Batzoki Indartxu, from Vizcaya, Eskola Zaharra and Bustinzuri Gaztedi from Álava, El Pocico (Tudela) and Napardi (Pamplona). These seven were selected from a total of 21 societies. The preliminary stages of the championship were held in March and April.

Workshops and Tastings to be repeated

Finding out about the benefits to the health of certain tastes and properties, travelling to the origins of a product or savouring the full flavour of a region are some of the things which, having previously signed up, five hundred people were able to enjoy at the seven workshops which the Navarra Gourmet Congress programmed with the coordination of ICAN technical officers.

The aim of these workshops was to allow those taking part to find out more about products which have earned prestige or a special place in our culinary preferences. Such is the case of oil, chocolate, bread, seaweed, cod, caviar and beer.

The workshops and tastings (60 people per session) were warmly received, to the extent that all of sessions had to hang the "Full" notice on the door. There will, without doubt, be more sessions and more time allocated to these at Navarra Gourmet in years to come.

The great food exhibition

Over two working days, fifty importers from more than 15 countries got to know the products made by 62 Navarrese food companies as part of the III Food and Drink Exhibition of Navarra, Alimenta'09. This encounter, organised by the Navarra Chamber of Commerce and also held in Baluarte, ran parallel to the Navarra Gourmet Congress.

29 Navarrese food companies or groups and 33 drinks companies took part in the work sessions and tours of production centres. Alimenta’09 is the most important international encounter for food industry companies based and working in Navarra.

Poland, Switzerland and Turkey took part for the first time this year, adding to guests from previous years, such as Germany, Brazil, Canada, China, the United States, France, India, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Scandinavian countries, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Russia.

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Adriá and Hemingway

The Chamber Hall was too small

Manifesto in defence of Navarra Rosé

Bloggers Championship

The simple and great Michel Bras

EVA awards

CAT: Gold Medals and Runners-up

Gastronomic societies

Workshops and Tastings to be repeated

The great food exhibition

Those attending the congress had the chance to listen to the head chefs from seven of the fifty best restaurants in the world, and enjoyed themselves alongside fifty chefs from 5 countries.

La Asociación de Hostelería (The Catering Association) estimates that 12,000 professionals and guests visited the Congress Showroom.

The three gastronomic options on offer at Baluarte provided more than 25,000 portions in three days, as well as the 300 kilograms of asparagus and lettuce hearts served in Tudela on Sunday the 17th of May.

Ferrán Adriá, the Autonomous Community Minister of Rural Development and the Environment, and the chairwoman of DO Navarra lent their support to the manifesto in defence of Rosé and toasted with Navarra wine

8,000 Navarrese pacharán cocktails were served at Hemingway´s Cocktail, sponsored by the Government of Navarra's Department of Tourism.