On 1 July, the City of Culture in Santiago de Compostela will become the gastronomic epicentre of Galicia with the celebration of the 9th edition of the Best Tapas Chef Gala ‘Sete Cidades Sete Sabores’. This event will bring together the winners of the main local tapas competitions in Ferrol, A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Pontevedra, Vigo, Ourense and Lugo. The aim is to choose the best tapa in Galicia and pay tribute to the talent and creativity of the chefs who best represent the country’s miniature cuisine.
Each city will be represented by a restaurant and its winning chef, who will defend their proposals in a showcooking format before the jury and the public.
Ferrol – Bacelo
From the provincial capital, the Bacelo restaurant, headed by Álex Martínez and Mar Lago, will arrive after its victory in the Ferrol competition. Bacelo is committed to contemporary cuisine with strong local roots, where product and technique go hand in hand. Ferrol, a city with a naval history, is also beginning to make a name for itself on the Galician gastronomic map.
A Coruña – AMA Italiana Contemporánea
Vincenzo Amaddeo, chef at AMA, will represent a unique fusion between Galicia and Italy. His elegant and creative cuisine has conquered A Coruña with a proposal that mixes flavours from southern Europe and attention to aesthetics.
Santiago de Compostela – O Sendeiro
Alejandro Ferreiro, from the Compostela restaurant O Sendeiro, will present a sophisticated tapa based on seasonal produce, which has already been a huge hit at Santiago(é)Tapas. His cuisine combines sensitivity and technique in a city where tradition and avant-garde coexist among centuries-old stones.
Pontevedra – El Cafetín de la Alameda
Rubén González, from the well-known Cafetín de la Alameda, will defend Pontevedra’s creativity with a colourful and flavourful tapa. Pontevedra, pedestrianised, friendly and booming, has positioned itself as one of the most dynamic cities in terms of gastronomic offerings.
Vigo – La Marciana
From the city of Vigo comes Daniel Bastos, from La Marciana, with a bold, seafood-based creation, winner of the O Petisquiño competition. La Marciana represents the new wave of chefs from Vigo who combine freshness, risk-taking and a love for the Atlantic.
Ourense – A Feira
Paco Gómez, alma mater of A Feira Pulpería S.A., will bring the essence of Ourense cuisine to the competition with a signature touch. The tapa, based on reinvented tradition, will be a statement of principles: flavour, memory and product. Ourense, famous for its octopus, will make its mark among more avant-garde offerings.
Lugo – Orixe do Campo
José Luís Pardo and Auriana Macías, from Orixe do Campo, will arrive from Lugo with a tapa that speaks of rurality, sustainability and local cuisine. This young restaurant has burst onto the scene, reflecting the culinary evolution of a city traditionally linked to meat and vegetable gardens.
This year’s Gala will be much more than a competition: it will be a showcase for the enormous potential of Galician cuisine in small format, the creativity of its chefs and the richness of its cities. Galicia will now also be served… in tapas.
