Tenerife, through its governing body the Cabildo and its tourism division, Turismo de Tenerife, will mark its presence at the forthcoming ‘Madrid Fusión’ from 29 to 31 January, a premier international culinary summit celebrated at the national level.
The island is set to showcase its finest products and wines within an expansive 300 square metre immersive exhibition space, further enhanced by a dedicated ‘Wine Tunnel’ spanning an additional 75 square metres. This setup will host over fifty diverse events, including workshops, tastings, breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and lectures, across three distinct zones.
The ‘Taste Spain’ segment will also feature the island, highlighting the nation’s top culinary destinations with a comprehensive schedule of product tastings and samples.
Furthermore, the municipalities of Santiago del Teide, Santa Cruz, Candelaria, San Miguel de Abona, and Puerto de la Cruz will significantly contribute to Tenerife’s offering. Each will display its unique gastronomic value chain, including local companies, hotels, and the Tenerife Barmen’s Association.
The island delegation, comprising approximately one hundred professionals ranging from producers, chefs, pastry chefs, waiters, sommeliers, restaurateurs, winemakers, to technicians representing the island’s six wine appellations, the Primary Sector Department of the Cabildo, and Turismo de Tenerife, will also include students and instructors from the gastronomy and catering sectors, notably from IES San Marcos and the CIPF Virgen de Candelaria.
At a press briefing, Lope Afonso, Vice President and Councillor for Tourism, underscored Tenerife’s participation at ‘Madrid Fusión 2024’, highlighting a commitment to sustainability, local produce, the circular economy, and zero-kilometre products as pivotal for quality enhancement and promotion.
Afonso also remarked on Tenerife’s burgeoning reputation within the sector, noting its association with success through academic and commercial accolades, and its inclusion in leading guides and fairs.
The island’s largest-ever 300 square metre stand will serve as an immersive platform for national and international visitors, showcasing restaurant and workshop offerings in a unique triple format, highlighting edible landscapes, volcanic origins, and liquid aromas.
Additionally, Tenerife will lead activities at the ‘Wine Edition’, showcasing a digitised 75 square metre ‘Tenerife Wine Tunnel’ equipped with totems and screens, and kick-starting the ‘Wine Edition’ programme with a master tasting session featuring notable wines from the island’s six DOs.
Chef Diego Schattenhofer’s master lecture, themed ‘Inéditos perfumes comestibles’, promises to be a congress highlight, offering innovative and globally unprecedented content. Meanwhile, chef Alberto Margallo will present exceptional haute cuisine dishes featuring Anaga’s star ingredients: limpets, tunos, and yams.
The ‘Mojos and Dishes Competition’, now in its fourth iteration and harmonised with ‘Wines of Tenerife’, will once again attract renowned national chefs, including Michelin star recipients.
Valentín González, Councillor for the Primary Sector and Animal Welfare, and Dimple Melwani, CEO of Tenerife Tourism, also emphasized the island’s rich local produce, including wines, olive oil, honeys, cheeses, and tropical fruits, and the significant role of participating municipalities at the fair.
Melwani highlighted the evolving importance of Tenerife’s gastronomic landscape and the ambition for a significant leap forward in 2024, focusing on professional re-qualification and international market expansion.
