The Diputación de Castellón will hold a major gastronomic event in Benicarló on 21, 22 and 23 October on the occasion of the bicentenary of the institution, which have already confirmed attendance by a dozen Michelin star chefs. This was announced today at the press conference held in the town of Benicarló, which was attended by the provincial deputy of Tourism, Virginia Martí; the regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer; the mayor of the municipality and provincial deputy, Xaro Miralles, and the Michelin-starred chefs of the province, Miguel Barrera and Raúl Resino.

It is a gastronomic festival linked to the brand ‘Castelló Ruta de Sabor’ organized by the Provincial Council and with the collaboration of Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, to be held on the promenade in an area near the Morrongo beach. There will be information point of the event and the products of ‘Castelló Ruta de Sabor’, exhibition area for producers and restaurateurs linked to the brand, bar for the sale of drinks, terrace space for diners, tourist destinations area, rest area and cooking stage for holding showcookings. All this will be enlivened with performances and shows with music to liven up the environment.

Michelin Stars

Although it is still open to the incorporation of other Michelin-starred chefs, for the moment Joaquín Baeza from Restaurante Rufete in Alicante, Germán Carrizo from Restaurante Fierro in Valencia, Alejandro Serrano from Restaurante Alejandro Serrano in Miranda de Ebro (Burgos), Jaime Uz from Restaurante Arbidel in Ribadesella (Asturias) have already confirmed their presence, Ricardo Sostres from Restaurante El Retiro in Llanes (Asturias), María José Martínez from Restaurante Lienzo in Valencia, Bernd Khooller from Restaurante Riff in Valencia, Raúl Resino from Restaurante Raúl Resino in Benicarló, Alejandra Herrador and Emanuel Carlucci from Restaurante Atalaya in Alcossebre and Miguel Barrera from Cal Paradís in Vall d’Alba. All of them will participate in presentations, demonstrations, debates and showcookings.

Tribute to Ruta de Sabor

The provincial deputy of Tourism, Virginia Martí, has pointed out that this great event “aims to be the showcase of the project ‘Castelló Ruta de Sabor’, which is about to turn 10 years old and brings together producers and 375 service companies throughout the province, who put all their spirit and good work to make the project better every day”.

As explained by the deputy, “we are facing a gastronomic festival that was born in Benicarló but with itinerant vocation and continuity in other municipalities in the coming years”.

The values of Benicarló

For his part, the regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, paraphrased Joaquín Sabina to say that “there are many reasons for choosing Benicarló as the venue for this great gastronomic event of the bicentenary of the Provincial Council for its great concentration of values and gastronomic attributes, product, landscape and knowledge”.

Colomer has also claimed the “condition of artists” of the restaurateurs of the province of Castellón and “the self-esteem of our people and our territory to be relevant”.

Denomination of Origin

The mayor of Benicarló, Xaro Miralles, thanked the choice of his city as the venue for this event and gastronomic capital of the province for three days, in a municipality in which “gastronomy and gastronomic tourism are pillars of the city strategy”. In this sense, he recalled that ‘the Benicarló artichoke has the recognition of Designation of Origin.

The chef Miguel Barrera stressed the importance of the province having three Michelin stars, which means that “we are no longer the poor sister of the Valencian Community and that more people will come to know us”, and his partner Raúl Resino stressed the importance of Benicarló hosting a major event of this kind, “something that has never happened before”.