Andorra Taste will place gastronomy before the challenge of protecting natural and food heritage

The foundation is the product

Andorra Taste will explore the work of several chefs with local produce, a relationship that defines contemporary haute cuisine, where the landscape is not merely a backdrop but the starting point for many chefs' culinary vision. This is the case with the young Julian Stieger, who heads the kitchen at the Rote Wand Chef's Table** in Lech am Arlberg, Austria, where he has developed a highly precise approach that combines Alpine produce with a contemporary perspective and international influences. His close connection to the Arlberg region is fundamental; therefore, he works primarily with regional products, observes nature, experiments in the garden, and collaborates closely with local producers.

Sharing the alpine stage with Stieger and Gaspari will also be Emmanuel Renaut (Flocons de Sel***, Megève) at Andorra Taste, a leading figure in international mountain cuisine and president of the Toquicimes festival. This annual event, held every autumn in Megève, is a gastronomic celebration of mountain cuisine, bringing together chefs, local producers, and food lovers to celebrate alpine cooking and share knowledge about local products and culinary techniques.

Reinforcing the French presence at this international gathering will also be chef Vivien Durand, of Pyrenean origin, who, from his restaurant Le Prince Noir* (Lormont, Bordeaux), offers a true culinary lesson in respect for the product and the construction of a strong territorial identity. With a firm commitment to sustainability, Durand proposes a seemingly radical break with tradition that, in reality, strengthens it and presents it as a heritage to be preserved.

On the other side of the Pyrenees, the Aragonese chef Iris Jordán will take to the stage at Andorra Taste. From her restaurant Ansils* - in the heart of the Benasque valley (Ansiles, Huesca) - she has managed to recover and update traditional recipes from the area based on products that speak of the territory, such as game.

A respect for the product, characteristic of these high-altitude chefs, permeates contemporary haute cuisine and is evident in the work of several Spanish chefs who will also be visiting Andorra for this fifth edition of Andorra Taste. From the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, Iván Cerdeño, Paco Roncero, and Manolo Franco will travel to the Pyrenees. With Iván Cerdeño (Iván Cerdeño**, Toledo), we will delve into a cuisine that speaks of memory but from a modern perspective. With Toledo and the Tagus River as a backdrop, Cerdeño explores the gastronomic legacy left by the different cultures that have passed through the city, using produce from its orchards and riverbanks. Manolo Franco does the same, but in the heart of the Sierra de Madrid mountains, in the village of Valdemorillo. From La Casa de Manolo Franco*, this sports journalist turned chef is dedicated to keeping the tradition of mountain cuisine alive. From tradition to innovation with the commitment to creativity of Paco Roncero, one of the most outstanding chefs in the Spanish capital who, from Paco Roncero Restaurante**, synthesizes his culinary vision in a dialogue between Madrid tradition, innovation and haute cuisine.

In Barcelona, ​​this same reverence for the product and tradition is echoed, without sacrificing the unique character of haute cuisine, thanks to the work of Sergio and Javier Torres, who masterfully lead the kitchen at Cocina Hermanos Torres***. With them, we will understand the experience of preserving the essence of a product within the context of a three-Michelin-starred restaurant.

Andorra Taste will also offer a unique look at the influence of French cuisine on current chefs with the presence of Juanlu Fernández, the chef from Cádiz who, from LÚ Cocina y Alma** (Jerez de la Frontera), offers nods to classic French cuisine but pays homage, with stews and traditional recipes, to the best Andalusian product.

France remains a benchmark.

The featured destination for this edition is France, and representing it in the Andorra Taste program are prominent names from the French culinary scene such as Emmanuel Renault, Vivien Durand, and Dennys Teixeira, as well as some French chefs who have worked in Andorra and Spain, such as Eric Marty and sommelier Audrey Doré, respectively. Together, they will delve into the essence of French cuisine and its unique influences.

The unique relationship between Andorran and French cuisine will also be the subject of discussion at a round table. In addition to Renault and Durand, Dennys Teixeira will participate, representing the new generation of chefs who have found a form of expression in the region. His cuisine reveals a strong Mediterranean sensibility and a deep connection to the landscape surrounding Bélesta, where he runs La Coopérative*, the restaurant at Domaine Riberach. Andorra will be represented by Eric Marty, chef and owner of Restaurante Eric Marty in Andorra la Vella. Trained under the influence of French cuisine and inspired by the legacy of Paul Bocuse, Marty has developed a gastronomic approach that combines technique, respect for the ingredients, and elegance. The discussion will also include Óscar Caballero, a journalist with extensive knowledge of the French culinary scene.

The program will conclude with contributions from master chocolatier Oriol Balaguer, representing the world of sweets, and an engaging roundtable discussion in which several Andorran chefs will talk about the present and future of borda cuisine, Andorra's most traditional culinary style. The third professional day of the event will also feature a surprising tasting of premium wines, this time led by Audrey Doré, a French sommelier based in Girona. Director and head sommelier at Vii, the Roca brothers' wine bar in Girona, Doré is one of the most renowned figures in contemporary sommellerie, having worked for several years with Josep Roca at El Celler de Can Roca and receiving the 2025 National Gastronomy Award for Best Sommelier.

Virgilio Martínez, Andorra Taste Award 2026

In 2026, the Andorra Taste Award, which recognizes commitment to local and regional cuisine, goes to one of the leading figures in contemporary gastronomy who has worked tirelessly to promote the bounty of his region. The 2026 Andorra Taste Award is for Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez, who, beyond his renowned restaurant Central in Lima, has spearheaded a monumental research project through Mater Iniciativa to preserve traditional Peruvian knowledge, spices, and products, demonstrating that gastronomy is a powerful tool for understanding and appreciating a region.

Both with the awarding of the prize to Virgilio Martínez and with the participation of true international benchmarks of haute cuisine who care for and nurture the territory and its product, Andorra Taste will continue to build in its fifth edition the greatest narrative around high mountain cuisine of the moment.

Andorra's commitment to gastronomy

Through Andorra Taste, both its professional and popular aspects, Andorra champions the essential role of the mountains in shaping new gastronomic narratives. Furthermore, it promotes its own cuisine and raises awareness of it at all levels. Indeed, Andorra Taste is at the forefront of the strategic gastronomic positioning plan that the Principality is implementing. Presented last year, this plan aims to reinforce the role of gastronomy as a defining element of the country's identity and to boost culinary tourism.

As an expression of this commitment to high mountain gastronomy, the presentation of Andorra Taste in Barcelona concluded with a gastronomic meeting between Barcelona chefs Sergio and Javier Torres (speakers at the professional sessions of this edition) and José Antonio Guillermo – chef of Odetti Bistro and Ambassador of Andorran Cuisine – held at Parada Torres, in the Mercat de Santa Caterina.

The menu places the product at the heart of the local cuisine, showcasing a selection of ingredients and preparations linked to the mountains and the Andorran larder, such as mushrooms, mountain sausage, beef, and mató cheese from El Batall. This culinary approach champions high-mountain gastronomy built upon the landscape, seasonality, and a deep knowledge and respect for the ingredients. It finds in the dialogue between chefs from different regions a way to evolve and project their identity. This focus on the environment is also reflected in the wine selection for lunch, all from the Andorran winery Casus Belli, a prime example of the potential offered by wines produced at high altitudes.