The oríGenes gastronomic festival: past, present and a responsible approach to the future

The oríGenes gastronomic festival to be held on June 11 and 12 in the gardens of the Palauet de Teià near Barcelona will showcase a range of delicious traditional dishes meticulously prepared by twelve renowned local chefs.

Gastronomy, which is in Barcelona’s DNA and that of the whole of Catalonia, raises to the status of art and culture the act of preparing food, one of the practices with most nuances, variants, and cultural associations known to mankind. The oríGenes Gastronomic Festival, to be held for the first time this June in Teià, is a unique event and will offer a gastronomic menu composed of more than 15 dishes using PDO products paired with 17 wines carefully selected by Quim Vila. 

The festival, which is due to receive 350 people per day and will benefit from all the necessary biosecurity measures, opens its doors to professionals in the sector, those who wish to succeed them, and those who are keen to indulge their palates in an outdoor setting and discover the art of the twelve chefs involved.

The hotel and restaurant sector faces enormous challenges in the post-Covid era, but festivals such as oríGenes will help to boost the economy and go some way to helping to returning gastronomy to the position it deserves. 

What is the aim of the festival?

The main objectives of this gastronomic event are “to provide an innovative experience, promote talent, and raise awareness of the importance of responsible consumption and production.” and to “protect and promote products, traditional techniques and environments in a responsible, ethical, and sustainable manner.” An audiovisual project that can be viewed at the festival takes viewers on a gastronomic journey that displays the magical relationship that links the past, present and the future of gastronomy, with a particular emphasis on a responsible approach to the future. The festival is promoted by Lluís Cintas from the Empordà, Ana Godó from Barcelona, and Emilio Suárez from Asturias, all entrepreneurs who specialize in communication and experience design.

The three Gs

The festival is concerned with three principal aspects:

• Gastronomy as the festival will offer local seasonal produce prepared with traditional, environmentally-sensitive techniques enabling visitors to enjoy the quality of the responsibly-prepared dishes.
• Genes: as the DNA of the expert craftspeople who are keen to share their knowledge belongs to Carlos Piernas, Anselmo Pérez, Viri Fernández, Nacho Gómara, Edu Torres, Daniel Jordà, Albert Roca, José Luis Domínguez, Gorka Rodríguez, Eva Vila, Juan Ángel Rodrigálvarez y Bárbara Sanfilippo, Their task is to inspire participants and ensure they discover new flavors.
• Generations: as our aim is to prioritize the health of people and sustainability of the planet and draw on the ethical values of the past in order to create and innovate in the present, and reflect on the future.

Sustainability: Small steps make all the difference

The oríGenes festival takes its inspiration from five of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that have become a roadmap and challenge for society as a whole and especially for businesses: Good health and well-being (3), Affordable and clean energy (7), Responsible production and consumption (12), Climate action (13) and Partnerships to achieve the goals (17).

By sourcing the ingredients needed for the dishes on the gastronomic menu from local families, we demonstrate our commitment to fair trade and local quality products. Our selection of a strategic location and the architectural heritage of Catalonia guarantees biosecurity so that participants can experience, inspire, innovate, and value traditional cooking techniques that don’t harm the environment. Lastly, the use of 100% compostable tableware will minimize waste.  garantiza un espacio con las medidas de bioseguridad para que el asistente pueda sentir, inspirar, innovar, y poner en valor técnicas tradicionales de cocinado respetuosas con el medio ambiente. Además se ha pensado en la utilización de una vajilla 100% compostable para evitar la generación de desechos.

And what will be on the menu on the 11 and 12 July?

The gastronomic menu will be served in four different areas around the Palauet de Teià: the square, the kitchen garden, the stables, and the garden of delights. A well-prepared meal has delicate flavors that must be retained on the palate to be appreciated. Below we present an example of one of the dishes prepared by each of the 12 chefs:

The square:

Carlos Piernas, Catalonia: Smoked salmon cut by hand 

Gorka Rodríguez, Galicia: Polbo á Feira octopus

Anselmo Pérez, Castile and León: 100% acorn-fed Iberian Ham 

Eva Vila, Catalonia: Selection of five hand-crafted cheeses

Bárbara Sanfilippo, Cantabria: Salted anchovies 


Kitchen garden:

Nacho Gómara, Navarre: Escalivada grilled vegetables

Edu Torres, Valencia: Delicate, chef’s own paella 

Stables:

Viri Fernández, Asturias: Fabada Asturiana stew 

José Luis Dominguez, Basque country: Suckling lamb with Gernika peppers 


Garden of delights:

Albert Roca, Catalonia: Lavander caramel desert

Juan Ángel Rodrigálvarez, La Rioja: ̈Bean-to-Bar ̈ fair chocolate  ̈Bean to Bar ̈ Vivir el cacao honesto

Daniel Jordà, Catalonia: Gastronomic breads

Feel, discover, create

As the talented artist Joan Miró pointed out, “The cook is not an isolated person who lives and works only to feed his guests. A chef becomes an artist when he or she has something to say through his dishes, like a painter in a painting.” This festival is a gastronomic journey that reflects the joys of Spanish gastronomy and its unique flavor. The aim is to enable travellers to gain a deeper awareness of the origins of the products, and above all, to get to know the people behind the whole process. 

The festival will feature debates on food presented by the La Vanguardia in which renowned sector leaders such as Josep Roca, Eudald Carbonell and Carme Ruscalleda will talk about the future of gastronomy. 

The journey will also feature workshops on the future of food by innovative creators, as well as live music with young talented local artists and designer cocktails. 

This is a gastronomic journey whose highly original format and content is set to break new ground.

OríGenes in numbers:

The space will be open from 12 am to 8 pm

8 hours per day

1  1 gastronomic menu

+ 12 PDO products

+ 11 organic wines 

2 inspiring presentations in a natural setting

4 creative workshops 

Tickets (195€inc. VAT) can be purchased through the official website and online platform festivalorigenes.koobin.com.

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