Barcelona will host the third edition of ITAMAE Balfegó

• ITAMAE Balfegó will recognize the best sushichef in Spain in a competition that will have 8 finalists.

• For the first time since its creation, the event will take place in Barcelona, ​​after celebrating its first two editions in Madrid.

• The finalists have been chosen by carefully selected prescribers for their connection to Japanese gastronomy and culture. These are Gorak the gorilla, Julia Pérez Lozano, Jesús Bardolet, Pablo Alomar, Pilar Salas, Pau Gelman, Antoni Campins and Luis Suárez de Lezo.

On June 17, ITAMAE Balfegó competition will land for the first time in Barcelona to choose the best sushichef on the national scene. It will do so in a day aimed at professionals that will highlight Japanese gastronomy and culture, and will seek to establish a cultural bridge between both communities. The day will feature, in addition to the professional sushi championship, workshops, training and masterclasses for professionals, focused on the field of Japanese gastronomy, and whose main objective will be to provide added value to restaurateurs.

8 sushichefs, representatives of restaurants from all over Spain, have been selected to be part of the competition and win the title of best sushichef in Spain:

1. Lucas Baturone – Hotaru (Valencia)
2. Rafael Carrasco – Kabuki Gran Canaria (Las Palmas)
3. Maher Al Dali – Kinu (Sevilla)
4. Nacho Dayas – Kitsuné (Barcelona)
5. Brendan Ferrero Cassidy – Os-kuro (Barcelona)
6. Bastian Fuentes – Saisho (Madrid)
7. Sergio Solís – Ta-kumi (Málaga)
8. Tadayoshi Motoa – Toki (Madrid)

All have been selected for their outstanding skill and creativity, as well as their culinary excellence and commitment to authentic Japanese gastronomy in our country. However, there will be only 7 who will compete in the final, as Kabuki Gran Canaria will not be able to participate due to medical reasons. Despite its absence, the impact and quality of Kabuki Gran Canaria in the field of Japanese cuisine has been recognized with its appointment as a finalist. The 7 participants will measure their skill, in La Llotja del Mar, before an exceptional jury made up of Hideki Matsuhisa (Koy Shunka*), Fabiola Lairet (Monster Sushi), Yoshikazu Yanome (Kaido Sushi Bar*) and Hugo Muñoz (Ugo Chan*) .

The winner, in addition to winning the title of Best Sushichef in Spain, will receive €3,000 in cash, a trip for two to Japan or Japanese knives, among other gifts to develop their talent. Let us remember that in the second edition of ITAMAE Balfegó it was the Japanese chef Masayuki Narumi, from the Daikichi Beach restaurant in Alicante, who won the award while in the first, it was Steven Bosen Wu Zheng, chef from the Imperial restaurant in Pamplona, ​​who won to the jury and won the precious title.

“With Itamae we have always been clear about our informative objective: to establish a bridge between both societies, and promote mutual understanding and the exchange of traditions and values. Furthermore, thanks to the championship we give visibility and value not only to Japanese gastronomy, but also to the country’s young talents,” Juan Serrano, CEO of Balfegó, tells us. “The ITAMAE Balfegó competition is an incredible initiative to promote and give value to Japanese gastronomy in Spain. This competition not only recognizes the best sushi chefs in the country, but also encourages professionals to hone their skills, thus promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Japanese gastronomic culture in the country,” adds Hideki Matsushisa, jury of the championship. and chef at Koy Shunka.

In this third edition, ITAMAE Balfegó has taken a significant turn by focusing on offering workshops and training especially aimed at professionals in the sector, unlike previous editions that focused on the general public. Always in its search to offer added value to restaurateurs. The choice of Barcelona as the new headquarters is not coincidental; The city has seen an impressive boom in Japanese restaurant openings over the past two decades. Furthermore, the date of the event strategically coincides with World Sushi Day, June 18, underscoring the cultural importance of sushi in this context.

This outstanding event will bring together more than 500 guests and will include a gala and a cocktail dinner. It will be attended by chefs, journalists, influencers, institutions and brands in the sector, consolidating the relevance and prestige of ITAMAE Balfegó in the Spanish gastronomic panorama.