SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 27th May. (EUROPE PRESS) –
Concluding its ninth edition, the GastroCanarias Gastronomic Fair, held from 21st to 23rd May at the Tenerife Fairgrounds, set a new record with 21,347 visitors. Throughout the event, the organization delivered a rich programme comprising over 300 activities, including competitions, presentations, workshops, masterclasses, cooking demonstrations, talks, and product samplings. The exhibition area of GastroCanarias featured 12 competitions and 217 stand modules.
Regarded as “the largest in the Canary Islands in terms of sheer numbers”, this Gastronomic Fair is a collaboration between the Tenerife Fair Institution, under the Cabildo, and the company Interideas, the proprietors of the GastroCanarias brand.
Manuel Fernández, the Vice President of the Fairgrounds and Industry Councillor of the Cabildo, expressed his “strong commitment to this undertaking, which serves as a key reference and gathering point for companies, entrepreneurs, and professionals from the industrial and agri-food sectors of our islands within the realm of gastronomy, hospitality, and catering, as well as students and educators in these professional and university disciplines.”
José Carlos Marrero, the co-director of the Gastronomic Fair and representative of Interideas, disclosed that “for this year, the entire 17,000 square meters of the expansive warehouse at the Fairgrounds were fully occupied, with participation from 93 local, regional, national, and international entities.”
GastroCanarias, represented by the Government of the Canary Islands and the seven island councils, also saw the participation of municipal councils from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Orotava, Los Realejos, and Guía de Isora, in addition to the island of La Graciosa, which headlined the inaugural cooking demonstration on the opening day.
The regional championships held within the Canary Islands Gastronomic Fair, as tradition dictates, garnered significant interest. In its ninth iteration, GastroCanarias 2024 hosted 12 major competitions – seven in the culinary category and five in beverages – featuring approximately 130 chefs, pastry chefs, and bartenders from across all the islands. A new addition this year was the 1st Canary Islands Burger Championship – Grand GastroCanarias 2024 – Europastry Grand Prize, emerging in a time when gastronomic offerings are en vogue and setting trends, alongside the consolidation of the 2nd Canary Islands Tapas Championship – GastroCanarias 2024 – Makro Grand Prix.
With regards to cocktail competitions, co-organised with the Tenerife Bartenders Association (ABT) led by David Arrebola, the Canary Islands Classic Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Championship – GastroCanarias 2024 – Royal Bliss Grand Prix solidified its position. These types of cocktails maintain a classic essence in their preparation and presentation, offering a twist on the traditional cocktail by omitting alcohol – perfect for breaking routine and relishing something new anytime and anywhere.
