The Bocuse d'Or is the most prestigious and recognized international cooking competition in the world. This 2024, a good part of the gastronomic essence of the Marina Alta will be represented in the competition, with the president of the Spanish team that will compete, the young Comiss of the main chef and a well-known chef from the interior of the region as coach.
Thus, with the national team already moved to Trondheim, Norway, where the 2024 Bocuse d'Or European Championship will take place on March 19 and 20, Spain will opt to achieve the distinguished recognition led by the renowned one-star chef Michelin, José Manuel Miguel, from the Beat restaurant in Calp. As main chef, Carlos Julián Martínez, from the Hospes Palau del Mar 5* Hotel in Valencia, will be accompanied by Álex Pascual Naya, a kitchen assistant from Pego.
Furthermore, the group is not alone, but other chefs will accompany them, among them, the chef of the El Nou Cavall Verd restaurant in La Vall de Laguar, Evarist Miralles. Iñigo Lavado and the members of the logistics team join in, under the direction of chef Miguel Durán, accompanied by Ramón Martín, Felix Noguera, Adrián Cifuentes and Mariana Alejandra Torres. Likewise, Juan Pozuelo will assume the role of Technical Director of the Bocuse d'Or Spain Academy, and José Vélez will be the Delegate Production Manager of Makro.
In turn, the entire team is supported by the Department of Agriculture of the Generalitat Valenciana, Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, L'Esquixit Mediterrani and the Business Confederation of Hospitality and Tourism of the Valencian Community (CONHOSTUR).
The time for Spain to compete is scheduled for March 19, starting at 09:30 a.m., just after the French national team and before the Czech Republic. The great team will have until 15:45 p.m. to present their gastronomic proposal, which will be inspired by the rich culinary tradition of the Valencian Community, incorporating Mediterranean and native flavors that will complement the mandatory ingredients of the contest, such as skrei cod and scallops. in the fish section, and reindeer as the main meat product.
A novelty this year will be the presentation of the fish proposal on a tray, instead of the traditional meat presentation. Spain will surprise with a tray designed by Vidrio Sorribes artisans, fusing craftsmanship and avant-garde in its finishes and decorative elements.
The verdict that will determine whether Spain advances to the Bocuse d'Or world final will be announced on March 20 at 18:00 p.m., with the hope of winning the title of world cooking champion in January 2025 in Lyon.
The young promise of Pego's kitchen
One of the requirements to participate is to have people in training or who are not professionals until now, as a way to publicize new promises in the kitchen. This year, it will be Álex Pascual Naya, as Chef's Comiss, who will make known his good work in the culinary world.
Álex, a 19-year-old Pegolí, trained in the cdT of Dénia, where he was discovered by Evarist Miralles, with whom he worked for a year to complete his training. It was the chef from Vall de Laguar who introduced him to the candidate Carlos Julián Martínez and with whom he has been preparing for the big moment since September.
"He has always felt the vocation," explains his mother, Maite Naya, who confesses that Álex has always seen his parents cooking at home and was very clear about it from the beginning. "He really likes his work, he goes out of his way to do what he does and is very motivated," she says.
Evaristo Miralles tea the restaurant in the valley but in Pego