The Gourmets Group celebrates 50 years of history
The Mandarin Oriental Ritz Madrid hosted the 50th Anniversary celebration of Grupo Gourmets, a moving event that commemorated the beginnings of the publishing group under the leadership of its founder, Francisco López Canis, and its current president, Francisco López López-Bago.
As a nod to the beginnings of what is now Grupo Gourmets, a menu laden with meaning was served: a commemorative stew, the same one prepared in 1976, when Gourmets was taking its first steps in the world of gastronomy by organizing roundtables and launching the magazine Club de Gourmets. That event brought together more than 200 renowned personalities, including chefs, distributors, winemakers, executives, and other key figures in the gastronomic sector, and marked the start of a year-long series of commemorations.
The event was presided over by the founder, Francisco López Canis, and his son and current president, Francisco López López-Bago. "We have evolved more in the last fifty years than in the last century. Spain is now an international benchmark for our cuisine, our chefs, our restaurants and their service, our wines, and our products and producers," stated López López-Bago in his speech. The Grupo Gourmets 50th Anniversary Awards recognized 50 individuals for their contributions to gastronomy, both past and present, as well as their potential for the future.
The award winners are:
Albert Adrià, Enigma (Barcelona) Alejandro Serrano, Alejandro Serrano Restaurant (Miranda del Ebro, Burgos) Amaia Ortuzar, Ganbara (San Sebastián) Andoni Luis Aduriz, Mugaritz (Rentería, Guipúzcoa) Ángel León, Aponiente (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz) Food Bank (Madrid) Bittor Arginzoniz, Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Vizcaya) Carme Ruscalleda, Cuina Sant Pau (San Pol de Mar, Barcelona) Dabiz Muñoz, Diverxo (Madrid) Dani García, Dani García Group (Marbella, Málaga) Diego Guerrero, DSTAgE (Madrid) Elena Arzak, Arzak (San Sebastián) Monje Family, Via Veneto (Barcelona) Ferran Adrià, elBulli Foundation (Rosas, Girona) Fina Puigdevall, Les Cols (Olot, Girona) Francis Paniego, Echaurren (Ezcaray, La Rioja) Gonzalo Entrecanales, Entrecanales Domecq e Hijos (Laguardia, Álava) Hermanos García Azpiroz, Pescaderías Coruñesas (Madrid) Hermanos Manzano, Casa Marcial (Arriondas, Asturias) Javier Olleros, Culler de Pau (El Grove, Pontevedra) Javier Sanz and Juan Sahuquillo, Grupo Cañitas (Casas-Ibáñez, Albacete) Joan Roca, El Celler de Can Roca (Girona) Karlos Arguiñano (San Sebastián) Lola Palacios, Álvaro Palacios (Alfaro, La Rioja) Luis Hurtado de Amézaga, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, Álava) Maca de Castro, Maca de Castro Restaurant (Alcudia, Mallorca) Manu Fariña, Bodegas Fariña (Casaseca de las Chanas, Zamora) Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro, and Eduard Xatruch, Disfrutar (Barcelona and Madrid) Marta Seco and Sandro Silva, Grupo Paraguas Martina Prieto Pariente, Bodegas Prieto Pariente (La Seca, Valladolid) Mario Sandoval, Coque (Madrid) Mateo Rodríguez, Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez (Labastida, Álava) María and Beatriz Rodero, Carmelo Rodero (Pedro de Duero, Burgos) Martín Berasategui, Martín Berasategui Restaurant (Lasarte-Oria, Guipúzcoa) Michael Zaccagnini, Sei Solo (Roa de Duero, Burgos) Mireia Torres Maczassek, Familia Torres – Jean Leon (Torrelavid, Barcelona) Paco Morales, Noor Restaurant (Córdoba) Pepe Raventós, Raventós i Blanc (Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Barcelona) Pepe Rodríguez, El Bohío (Illescas, Toledo) Pedro Ruiz Aragoneses, Alma Carraovejas (Peñafiel, Valladolid) Pepe Solla, Casa Solla (San Salvador de Poyo, Pontevedra) Pedro Subijana, Akelarre (San Sebastián) Quique Dacosta, Quique Dacosta Restaurant (Denia, Alicante) Ramón Freixa, Ramón Freixa Restaurant (Madrid) Ricard Camarena, Ricard Camarena Restaurant (Valencia) Roc Gramona, Gramona (Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Barcelona) Sacha Hormaechea, Sacha (Madrid) Sara Fort, Paco Roncero Restaurant (Madrid) Ton Mata, Recaredo (Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Barcelona) Toño Pérez, Atrio (Cáceres)
