Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025 celebrated the 2nd edition of the Bite and Mos Awards to recognise the fundamental role played by creators of food and wine digital content in promoting this type of tourism and, at the same time, value Catalonia as a leading food and wine destination on a global scale.
The Bite and Mos Awards were bestowed during the National Wine Tourism and Gastronomy Gala organised by the Tourism Department of Catalonia’s Government on 27 May 2024, at the National Theatre of Catalonia. The event was attended by the acting President of the Government of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès i Garcia, the Ministers for Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, David Mascort i Subiranas, and for Social Rights, Carles Campuzano i Canadés, as well as the Secretary for Business and Competitiveness, Albert Castellanos i Maduell, and the Director General for Tourism, Marta Domènech i Tomàs.
President Aragonès pointed out that these awards are “the perfect event to promote a sector of our country that helps us explain who we are,” because, according to Aragonès, “we have a sector with extraordinary potential in the field of gastronomy, food and wine.” Catalonia has “the perfect pairing” between “gastronomy and tourism”, because “gastronomy is culture,” and the Catalan Government is committed “to value, rather than volume,” he added (source: govern.cat).
General director of Tourism, Marta Domènech i Tomàs affirmed that « we have a cuisine that speaks about us and who we are, but we need to make it visible so that it reaches all corners of the world and gets the importance that it deserves.
« We want to ensure that when someone, in any country, thinks of food and wine tourism, they think of Catalonia and come to discover it. We want to become a food and wine destination of international reference and, for this reason, we have worked hard to become a World Region of Gastronomy in 2025 » she concluded (source: act.gencat.cat).
The Bite i Mos Awards include two categories: the Bite category, that considers food and wine dissemination at an international level; and the Mos category (the Catalan word for bite), that acknowledges people at a national level.
Prizes presented in the Bite category included:
Bite honorary award: awarded to Carme Ruscalleda for her exceptional career in the world of gastronomy, which has made her an indisputable benchmark for Catalan and international haute cuisine.
Best foodie: awarded to Aistė Misevičiūtė for her contribution to the world of international gastronomy through her own digital publication Luxeat, which enriches the palates of thousands of people around the world.
Best winefluencer: awarded to Josep Roca, co-owner and sommelier of El Celler de Can Roca, for his dedication and passion in promoting wine as a key element of the gastronomic experience, making it accessible and understandable for all audiences.
Best food traveller: awarded to Matt Goulding for his dedication as a journalist, writer and producer and his admirable work uncovering culinary delights around the world as co-founder of Roads and Kingdoms, a platform that fuses culture, politics and food.
Prizes presented in the Mos category included:
Best Catalan cuisine influencer: awarded to Paco Solé, owner of the historic restaurant 7 Portes de Barcelona, for his deep understanding and appreciation of the Catalan culinary tradition and commitment to preserve and spread the country’s most emblematic recipes.
Best ambassador: awarded to Trinitat Gilbert for years of rigorously cooked journalism with quality ingredients in media such as Diari Ara and because with her words she is able to convey to us the emotion of each product, dish, and restaurant she tastes.
Best wine influencer: awarded to Lluís Tolosa for his versatility and his many years of work as a sociologist, writer, trainer and communicator specialized in wine tourism.
Best collective: awarded to Dones del vi, a non-profit organization that promotes the presence and recognition of women who work in the wine sector: farmers, oenologists, winemakers, sommeliers… from the land to communication.
Main source and for further information: Bite and Mos Awards 2024 at act.gencat.cat.
Photo credit: Generalitat de Catalunya
About the World/European Regions of Gastronomy
World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.
