The emblematic Palau Robert in the heart of Barcelona was the setting for the prestigious closing ceremony of Catalonia – European Region of Gastronomy 2016 (C’REG 2016) on 24 April 2017. The event coincided with the end of 2016 Any de la Gastronomia i l’Enoturisme (Year of Gastronomy and Wine Tourism) promoted by the Catalan Tourism Board, and of the exhibition entitled De la Terra a la Lluna (From Earth to the Moon) on the life and work of Joan Roca. IGCAT experts from around the world were given a special guided tour of the exhibition that plays tribute to the Roca brother’s restaurant El Celler de Can Roca on its 30th anniversary. The guided tour was brought to life by Director of Fundació Alícia, Toni Massanés.
The Closing Ceremony event was a gastromusical organised by the Catalan Music Magazine Enderrock, celebrating inspiring partnerships between renowned Catalan musicians and Michelin-starred chefs.
C’REG Ambassador Carme Ruscalleda, chef of restaurant Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, Barcelona, partnered with the Spanish singer-songwriter Roger Mas. Other duets included chef Joan Roca with the Catalan singer-songwriter Gerard Quintana; Nando Jubany, chef of Catalan restaurant Can Jubany in Calldetenes with Pep Sala, Catalan musician and songwriter; Xavier Sagristà, chef of Castell Peralada Restaurant in the Alt Empordà area, Girona with Albert Pla, Catalan musician and singer-songwriter; chef David López with Catalan singer Ramon Mirabet and; Marc Gascons, chef of Restaurante Informal in Barcelona with Catalan musician Xarim Aresté.
This exclusive and vibrant ceremony celebrated a very successful year for Catalonia as European Region of Gastronomy 2016 and involved the presence of 300 participants. Among them, Dr. Diane Dodd, President of IGCAT and the representatives from other European Regions of Gastronomy: Prof. Roberta Garibaldi, East Lombardy (Italy), European Region of Gastronomy 2017; Jacinta Dalton, Galway-West of Ireland 2018, Anja van Hout, North Brabant 2018 (The Netherlands) and Ilona Sares, Kuopio, European Region of Gastronomy 2020.
2016 has been a great year for Catalonia as European Region of Gastronomy with many activities strengthening the profile of Catalan gastronomy and culminating in a Gastronomy Plan for the region. C’REG programme succeeded in bringing together more than 800 stakeholders in the territory from public, private, knowledge and third sector institutions and endowed the region with a solid and invaluable legacy for future development.
The Regions of Gastronomy Platform and the European Region of Gastronomy Award aim to contribute to better quality of life in European regions, by highlighting distinctive food cultures, educating for better health and sustainability and stimulating gastronomic innovation. Candidate regions are invited to join a knowledge-exchange platform of European regions in order to further cross-border collaborations and develop shared initiatives.
IGCAT (International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism) is the coordinating body of the Platform and organises the award with the support of European institutions. IGCAT is an international network of experts that aim to guide, facilitate and support leaders in cities, regions and cultural projects to understand the potential of their distinct food, culture, arts and sustainable tourism assets.
24 April 2017
