DiscoverEAT: The new gastronomic luxury travels along back roads
Gastronomy is no longer seen as an add-on to travel; it has become its driving force. Eight out of ten people choose their destination based on the food, according to the Pangea travel agency. And in that choice, rural areas are gaining ground.
That respect for tourists—and for oneself—means not betraying the land. Chefs like Nacho Manzano and David Yárnoz know this well, having championed culinary creativity in remote villages, transforming them into destinations. Yárnoz took a risk by opening a contemporary space within his family restaurant in Navarre. “It wasn’t easy,” he says. “There was a difficult period when we considered moving to a city, but we persevered. Perseverance is key to achieving goals.” Today, he has two Michelin stars and has replicated his model in Taiwan. Manzano, for his part, recalled his trip to Las Pedroñeras to visit Las Rejas back in the 90s. “It was eye-opening,” he says. “You could create signature cuisine in the middle of nowhere.” His career has been recognized this year with his third Michelin star, “and it’s an honor to be able to display it in the house where I was born.”
Both projects, like so many others discussed at DiscoverEAT, share a common denominator: family. Restaurants built with the clan at their core have ended up creating a small economy around them. In the Cantabrian valley of Alto Asón, chefs like Nacho Solana and David Pérez are raising the bar. The region's abundant livestock provides them with meats, cheeses, and butter, which they complement thanks to their proximity to the sea. "Having two such talented chefs in such a small region is a blessing and greatly helps attract visitors," acknowledged Jesús Ochoa, president of the Alto Asón Association of Municipalities. Their presence also encourages other restaurateurs in the area to step up their game, creating an attractive gastronomic destination.
From Napa to La Rioja
The forum showcased several international success stories, from Cusco, Peru, to Napa Valley, and Tuscany. Virgilio Martínez spoke about MIL, a restaurant and gastronomic research center located at an altitude of 4,000 meters, where more than 300 Andean families collaborate. Getting there involves a challenging journey and battling altitude sickness, yet its tables are always full. “People want to connect with nature, and there we can show them things they couldn't see at our restaurant, Central, in Lima's Barranco district.” The project's motto sums it up well: “There's more out there.” An invitation for customers to explore gastronomy beyond the table and a call for chefs to look up from their cutting boards and take advantage of what's available in their surroundings.
