The 24th edition of the Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España gastronomic congress has once again come to a perfect close, with the presentation of the most eagerly awaited awards for emerging talent in the industry, both in the dining room and in the kitchen, as well as in the increasingly important profession of pastry making.

Sponsored by Balfegó, the Revelation Chef award went to Javier Ochoa and Garikoitz Arruabarrena, the creative duo of chefs at the helm of Masta Taberna in the town of Zarautz (Guipúzcoa), ‘a small tavern that surprises with the quality and unassuming appearance of its haute cuisine disguised as humble fare’, in the words of José Carlos Capel. The president of Madrid Fusión also highlighted ‘the enormous strength of young talent in Spain, which has increased the number of candidates from 6 to 9 this year’. With the same calm and simplicity with which they work at Masta Taberna, the brand-new Revelation Chefs Javier Ochoa and Garikoitz Arruabarrena encouraged young people to ‘embark on their ventures with enthusiasm, because with love and affection, anything is possible’.

Completing the podium were Mauro Rivas, Armand Vidal, and Clara Campoamor from Sol Post (Formentera) in second place, and in third place Kiko Rocher and Loli Sambal from Terra (Cullera, Valencia), and José María Borrás from Aquiara (Morvedra Nou, Menorca). The other finalists were Alejandro Ibáñez from Bodega Barahonda (Yecla, Murcia), Iñaki Gómez and Lola Palacio from Alenda (Villaviciosa, Asturias), Borja Piñeiro and Elia Pereira from Lado (Muiños, Orense), Rubén Suárez and Aarón Berenguer from Orma (Alicante), and Marc Pérez and Tània Doblas from La Sosenga (Barcelona).

The sweets and the room do not disappoint

The other big moment of the year was the presentation of the eighth edition of the Pastelero Revelación Award by Torrons Vicens, which was won by Miguel Yeste, from the Obrar pastry shop in Madrid, considered one of the most promising talents in the world of sweets in our country. Yeste beat the other finalists with ‘a Christmas-inspired dessert featuring panettone, vanilla and mandarin cream, with crunchy almonds and an almond and yuzu cream’, explained the young pastry chef.

Second and third place went to Valentina Montealegre and Gonzalo Alonso from the Aromata restaurant (Palma de Mallorca), and Jorge Ruiz from the Vandelvira restaurant (Baeza, Jaén). The competitive final showcased the high standard of all the contestants, who also included Andrea Ibáñez from the El Olivo restaurant (La Residencia A Belmond, Deià, Mallorca), Maite Otegui from 22.22 Cultura Dulce (Barcelona), Aarón Melero from the Barro restaurant (Ávila), and Mariona Corral from the Cebo restaurant (Madrid).

In its third edition, the Sala Revelación Award was presented to Adrián Fernández from the Lera restaurant (Castroverde de Campos, Zamora) in recognition of his excellent ability to manage and dignify front-of-house service, something that for the winner is only possible ‘by knowing the customer and understanding that they are the most important thing’. Completing the podium were Mario Tofé from the Èter restaurant (Madrid) and Giorgia Scaramella from Aromata (Palma de Mallorca), beating other great professionals such as Mariana Ortellado from Asador O'Pazo (Padrón, Galicia), Lola Palacio from the Alenda restaurant (Villaviciosa, Asturias), and Marta Alfaro from the Orma restaurant (Alicante).

Commitment to the brand and the planet

The 7th Sustainability Revelation Award by Aquanaria Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España 2026 was presented to Raúl Sánchez Aguirre from Tramo (Madrid), who holds a Green Star, ‘for exemplifying the true spirit of sustainability in the hospitality sector’. The jury highlighted his commitment, beating other outstanding candidates such as Màrius and Joan Jordà i Giró from Empòrium (Castelló d'Empúries, Girona) with a Michelin Star and Green Star) and Santi Benéitez Esteban from SeBE (Lanzarote).

Finally, the award for Best Stand at Madrid Fusión 2026 went to 1001 sabores Región de Murcia, decorated with a mural made from 1,500 kg of vegetables, chosen by a vote of the other exhibitors as the stand that stood out most for its originality, creativity, and promotion of the gastronomic product or concept within the fair hosting the congress. The other finalists were Balfegó, Juanito Baker, and Fundación Turismo Responsable de Mallorca.