Guillermo García Santos was crowned the winner of the 18th edition of the Canary Islands Absolute Cooking Championship – Gran Premio Cabildo de Tenerife, which took place on the first day of the 9th Salón Gastronómico de Canarias – GastroCanarias 2024. Iván Pulido Rodríguez from Gran Canaria took second place, worth 1,000 euros, while Fernando Guadalupe Hernández from Tenerife secured third place, worth 500 euros. The best assistant prize, worth 300 euros, went to Nahuel Núñez Campos from Gran Canaria, who also earned a direct spot in the next edition of the cooking championship.
For his first dish, Guillermo prepared “Merluza de La Graciosa,” featuring fresh hake from La Graciosa and inspired by techniques from Joël Robuchón, Ana Gago, and Marisa Echaurren. His second dish, “Rabbit Condumio,” was made with ingredients from a surprise box, earning him the first prize of 1,500 euros.
Guillermo, a native of Tenerife, studied pastry making and kitchen management at the IES María Pérez Trujillo. The awards were presented by Manuel Fernández, the Councillor for Industry, Commerce, Primary Sector, and Animal Welfare of the Tenerife Island Council, and Krysten Martín, the Councillor Delegate for Commerce and Business Support.
The Dishes and Competitors
The winner and his assistant worked diligently during the 135 minutes allotted for each pair to prepare their dishes. Fresh hake from La Graciosa was the main ingredient for the first dish, while the second dish was made with ingredients from a surprise box provided an hour before the championship began.
Other competitors included Javier Jesús Peraza Mesa (Tuineje), Abner Díaz Lozano (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Kilian García Sánchez (Agüimes), Raico Jiménez Delgado (Agüimes), Cristian Camilo Galvis Rojas (Arrecife), Saúl Díaz Castro (Valle Gran Rey), and Elena Alfonso Bello (La Laguna).
Political Presence at the Tenerife Gastro Fair
The proximity of the European Parliament elections on 9th June was evident at the inauguration of the 9th Canary Islands Gastronomy Fair, with numerous politicians in attendance, including the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, and the President of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila.
Visitor Expectations and Culinary Traditions
The co-directors of the fair, José Carlos Marrero and Jonay López, expect around 20,000 visitors over the three days at the Tenerife Exhibition Centre. They highlight Santa Cruz as the Canary Islands’ capital of gastronomy for the week.
La Graciosa’s Culinary Showcase
La Graciosa, the guest island at the fair, showcased its culinary traditions with dishes like fried fish, stews, and garbanzas. Chefs Fernando Guadalupe, Benjamín Toledo, Orlando Ortega, and Pedro Santana demonstrated traditional recipes, including fried cabrilla and moray eel, viejas secas with onions, cochino ahogado, and salted wreckfish stew with mojo and gofio de millo from Lanzarote. According to Oswaldo Betancor, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, La Graciosa attracts 300,000 visitors annually.
