Cuenca is the venue for the gastronomic congress
CULINARY 2026 Castilla La Mancha is a space where gastronomy becomes a meeting point between professionals, producers, cooks and people who share the same passion for cooking, quality products and the richness of the territory.
In its eighth edition, held on October 19, 2026 at the José Luis Perales Auditorium in Cuenca, CULINARIA 2026 Castilla La Mancha focused on female talent and the role of women in gastronomy under the motto «"With their own voice"» and once again highlighted the gastronomic identity of Castilla La Mancha
The day began with the official opening and the presentation of the Culinary Awards 2026:
The one from Path It was for the Regional Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Businesses of Castilla-La Mancha; the one of Female Talent, for Annika García-Escudero, head of service and co-owner of the restaurant Iván Cerdeño-Cigarral del Ángel (Toledo); the one from Young Talent, for Ivan Anaya, chef of The La Mancha Viewpoint (Villarrubia de los Ojos, Ciudad Real); and the one from Dining Room and Sommelier, for Andrei Popa, sommelier of the restaurant The Page from Sigüenza (Guadalajara).
Following the awards ceremony, a series of presentations with a strong female focus began, highlighting the women who are transforming the sector from the kitchen, the dining room, research, business, and communications.
The first of these came from Annette Abstos, The founder of the gastronomic agency that bears her name and a product specialist, opened the space dedicated to new perspectives on gastronomy beyond our borders. A colorful and fun vision that showed us gastronomy from a different angle.
Next, Marián Martínez, co-owner and director of the restaurant Amos's Pavilion, with three Michelin stars in Villaverde de Pontones (Cantabria), was interviewed by the gastronomic journalist Sara Cucala, contributing his vision and experience of three decades from the field of haute cuisine.
A very personal project in a tiny village, undertaken with her life partner, chef Jesús Sánchez. Marián told us how they started their project with many doubts and inexperience, how they overcame the Covid crisis, and how her life has always been guided by the principle that “Complaints are useless. We have to find solutions.” Her focus is always on providing excellent service so that her customers feel at home.
One of the most anticipated moments arrived thanks to Begoña Rodrigo, renowned chef of the restaurant The Little Room, In Valencia, a restaurant with a Michelin star and three Repsol Suns, she gave a live cooking demonstration that allowed the public to experience her creativity, technique, and unique approach to gastronomy. We saw a more personal and emotional side of Begoña, moved to tears as she spoke about her project.
Begoña recounted her journey, the rebellious streak that led her to abandon her Industrial Engineering studies and travel to Amsterdam seeking a personal experience, and how she discovered her passion for cooking there through self-teaching. She worked in the kitchens of the Karel V Hotel Restaurant (1 Michelin star) and later moved to London, where she was a section head chef at the Aquarium restaurant. She is renowned for her work with vegetables, having been recognized as one of the best vegetable chefs in Europe.
Another of the protagonists was Tamara Martín, bar manager of The Tailor Shop, In Talavera de la Reina, a promising young bartender has taken up the family mantle in a business started 36 years ago by her father, and has spent nine years advocating for equality in a traditionally male-dominated profession.
In addition to her excellent work and the delicious cocktail she prepared for us, she spoke about the difficulties women face behind a bar and how challenging it is to balance family life with their professional schedules. It was a plea for companies in the sector to consider that behind every professional there is a person, with a family and dreams, and that, to the extent these aspects are addressed, their professional activity will benefit, as her career demonstrates. In 2025, she proclaimed Cocktail Champion of Castilla-La Mancha and, in 2026, received recognition for Best Bartender in Castilla-La Mancha.
The day continued with the round table «"Women of the Region"», moderated by Sue Moya, founder and director of Art by Sue Food and Blanca Rosa García Henche, tenured professor at the University of Alcalá, lecturer and researcher at the Guadalajara campus
A particularly significant space within this year's theme, "With Their Own Voice," highlighted the contribution of women to the development and evolution of regional gastronomy. It featured the participation of:
Within the CULINARIA 2026 Castilla La Mancha space there was also room for WHERE FLAVORS ARE BORN , The association, which champions the flavors of yesteryear and the work of producers in Cuenca and the surrounding province, highlights that regional gastronomy is not built in isolation; rather, it is the result of a chain of efforts that begins long before a dish reaches the table.
It is an opportunity to put a name and face to that work that we often enjoy without knowing all that it entails; therefore, we want to express our appreciation to:
The competition also featured prominently with the celebration of the 6th edition of the National Competition "Best Manchego Cheesecake"«, This event celebrates the versatility of one of Castilla-La Mancha's most emblematic products and its potential in pastry making. They won the award. José Antonio Pintado Mota and Nicoleta Ionela Gherghe Gherghe, of the Granero restaurant from Quintanar de la Orden (Toledo), made with semi-cured and cured Manchego cheese on a base of toasted almond, with honey and fresh truffle.
The day concluded with the fourth edition of «"Choose your Chef"», the competition aimed at hospitality students of
the region, in which she was proclaimed the winner María Dolores Esparcia, a student at the Labor University of Albacete thanks to a preparation of Manchego lamb neck with pistachio and grass pea.
A day full of surprises and discoveries in the unparalleled setting of the city of Cuenca, which welcomed us with an incredible palette of autumn colors. We're already looking forward to the next edition!
Cuenca is the venue for the gastronomic congress
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