ALEJANDRO GARCÍA WINS THE TITLE OF BEST CHEF IN THE COMMUNITY OF MADRID
2024/06/11
Alejandro García , from the In-pulso restaurant, together with his assistant Francisco Amate , has been awarded as the best chef in the Community of Madrid in the XXXI Gastronomic Contest of the region. In the pastry category, Mariella Pili from the Saddle restaurant, with the help of Alberto Barba , won the title of best pastry chef.
The event, organized by the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Madrid (ACYRE Madrid), took place at the Simone Ortega School of Hospitality and Tourism in Móstoles. The victories of Alejandro García and Mariella Pili give them a direct pass to the National Gastronomy Championship, where they will represent Madrid.
In the cooking contest, second prize went to Guillaume Brun and Osneiver Gabriel Galea from Inclan Brutal Bar, while third place was occupied by Mario Lazar and Jorge Casado from Olmo restaurant.
Close Competition
A total of eleven couples, made up of a cook and his assistant, participated in the ACYRE Madrid League, of which six couples advanced to the grand final. These couples included representatives from Inclan Brutal Bar, Restaurante Berlanga, The Atelier Burger, In-pulso, Restaurante Olmo and Rosi la Loca. During the final, the contestants had to pass two cooking tests.
The winning couple, from In-pulso, impressed the jury with their recipes: 'Grilled Iberian pork with roasted sauce, pickled chantarella, corn molasses and trotter stew fritter with coffee-cooked pork ham' and 'Dorada a the grill with Bordeaux sauce of its thorns, chutney and rhubarb bouquet with San Isidro salad in one bite.' These creations earned them the highest score from the tasting jury and the technical jury.
“We have made the Dorada de Estero as a tribute to the festivals in Madrid, this coming weekend the San Antonio festival is approaching, and we wanted to give a nod by reinterpreting the festival or San Isidro salads that were brought to these celebrations with pickled bonito, lettuce, hard-boiled egg, olives and onion, but we have adapted it to a bite by changing the bonito for anchovy from Casa Santoña with the Madrid Quality seal with a gel of yolk, another of olive we have wrapped it in a lettuce jelly,” explained the winner.
Awards and honours
In addition to the title, Alejandro García and Francisco Amate received a prize of 2,000 euros and a trip to the Esteros de Barbate to see Esteros Lubimar. The finalist couples also received a weekly box with high-quality products, including Rafael Salgado oils and vinegars, DO Vinos de Madrid wines, Madrid beer Mahou San Miguel, honeys from Madrid Miel, cheeses from Albe Lácteas del Jarama, Maykhel chocolates and basic products from the Alcampo pantry.
Promotion of Talents and Tradition
“It is a pride for our association to discover new talents in Madrid and more, as is the case, to highlight chefs who reinterpret old Madrid recipes and bring them to our days in surprising and tasty bites,” commented Eduardo Casquero, president of ACYRE Madrid.
With this contest, ACYRE Madrid not only celebrates culinary excellence, but also promotes the gastronomic and cultural richness of the Community of Madrid, ensuring that both tradition and innovation continue to be the pillars of Madrid cuisine.