The GourmetCanarias culinary exhibition, which took place from the 21st to the 23rd of this month at the Tenerife Exhibition Centre, concluded its ninth edition with a record-breaking attendance of 21,347 visitors, as announced by the Island Council.
Throughout the event, the organisers presented a diverse programme featuring over 300 activities across two stages, including demonstrations, educational workshops, masterclasses, cooking displays, presentations, and product tastings. GourmetCanarias also featured 12 contests and 217 booth modules in the exhibition area, as highlighted by the Cabildo yesterday.
This culinary exhibition is hailed as “the largest in the Canary Islands in terms of overall figures” and is a collaborative effort between the Tenerife Exhibition Institution, under the Cabildo, and the company Interideas, the proprietor of the GourmetCanarias brand.
The Vice President of the Exhibition Centre and Industry Councillor of the Cabildo, Manuel Fernández, reiterated yesterday his “strong commitment to this initiative, which serves as a benchmark and a meeting point for companies, entrepreneurs, professionals in the industrial and agri-food sectors of our Islands in the gastronomy, hospitality, and catering fields, as well as students and educators in these areas of vocational and university training.”
The co-director of the culinary event, José Carlos Marrero (representing Interideas), mentioned, “This year, the entire 17,000 square metres of the vast exhibition warehouse were occupied, with the participation of 93 local, regional, national, and international companies.”
GourmetCanarias was well-represented by the Government of the Canary Islands and the seven island councils. The city councils of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Orotava, Los Realejos, and Guía de Isora also had their dedicated stands, along with the island of La Graciosa, which starred in the opening cooking demonstration on the first day.
In this ninth edition, GourmetCanarias 2024 featured 12 major championships, seven in the culinary category and five in beverages, with approximately 130 chefs, pastry chefs, and bartenders from all the Islands participating as finalists. As a new addition, the inaugural Canary Islands Burger Championship – Great GourmetCanarias 2024 – Europastry Grand Prize took place this year, mirroring the popularity of this gastronomic offering and its trendsetting nature.
