High place, to see the horizon
and give notice of what is discovered.

October 22

Donostia - San Sebastián

A leap into the sea
through gastronomy

Donostia-San Sebastian, and by extension the Basque Country, is a territory where maritime identity has been forged for more than five centuries. Its fishing tradition, its innovation in navigation and its culinary legacy linked to the sea have made it a historical and gastronomic reference point that represents this look towards the future.

Within the framework of the meeting of the International Council of the Basque Culinary Center, and coinciding with the inauguration of GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem, a conference open to the public will be held under the name Talaia.

This meeting is an invitation to look to the horizon and explore the future of gastronomy. World-renowned chefs, professionals from various disciplines and organisations will share projects and transformative ideas that look to the past to build a new future full of possibilities.

Programme

Talaia is a meeting that will bring together professionals and agents from the sector to discuss the sea from a broad and plural perspective. An opportunity to look at the past and recognise how many of the innovations of yesteryear have come down to us as tradition, and to explore how that same transforming spirit is still alive today, driving new initiatives, techniques and ways of understanding gastronomy.

Place
GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem

Date
22 October

Time
8:30-13:15h

Registration

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Part I

October 22 / 8:30-10:50H

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08:30 – 08:40 A delicious future

Joxe Mari Aizega (Basque Culinary Center)

08:40 – 08:55 The sea as horizon

John Regefalk (GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem)

08:55 – 09:15 Eating rivers and oceans entirely

Dan Saladino (United Kingdom)

09:15 – 09:30 Power in the sea

Sandra Piñeiro (Professional athlete)

09:30 – 09:50 Heritages in motion

Xavier Agote (Albaola). Interview by Ander Izagirre

09:50 – 10:10 Sustainable aquaculture and high-level gastronomic supply

Pedro Sánchez (Aquanaria)

10:10 – 10:30 Waves of applied innovation

Azti Tecnalia and Antonio Muiños (Porto Muiños)

10:30 – 10:50 Coffee break

Part II

October 22 / 10:50-13:15H

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10:50 – 11:10 Gastronomy that Transforms: Basque Culinary World Prize 2025

Joan Roca (Celler de Can Roca, Girona), Elena Reygadas (Rosetta, Mexico), Trine Hahnemann (Denmark) & Basque Government

11:10 – 11:30 Cooking solutions

Narda Lepes (Narda Comedor, Argentina) and Manu Buffara (Manu, Brazil)

11:30 – 11:50 The table set on the sea

Gastón Acurio (Astrid & Gastón, Peru), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Narisawa, Japan) and Pía León (Kjolle, Peru)

11:50 – 12:10 Creative Ecosystems that Nourish

Ángel León (Aponiente, Cádiz)

12:10 – 12:30 The Fire of Fishing

Aitor Arregi (Elkano) & Iñaki Etxegoien (local fisherman)

12:45 – 13:15 Nothing to Waste

Josh Niland (Saint Peter, Australia)

Participants

Gastón Acurio

Pia León

Michel Bras

Josh Niland

Joan Roca

Trine Hahnemann

Manu Buffara

Narda Lepes

Yoshihiro Narisawa

Aitor Arregi

John Regefalk

Dan Saladino

Ángel León

Alan Iglesias

Xabier Agote

Ander Izagirre

Antonio Muiños

Sandra Piñeiro

Pedro Sánchez

Partners

Organized by

International Council's Official Hotel

With the support of

Gastón Acurio

Perú

An icon of Peruvian cuisine and successful entrepreneur with gastronomic ventures spread around the world in various formats. Acurio is the owner of the renowned restaurant Astrid & Gastón. He is a passionate believer in cuisine as a tool for social change. He is widely recognised for the efforts with which he has taken his country around the world, opening up a borderless interest in much more than cebiche. He is the promoter of projects such as Pachacútec, where dozens of young people get training in cooking on the outskirts of Lima, and he promotes cultural, social and environmental causes. He is also the prolific author of books such as Perú: Gastronomía a Peruvian cookbook, which includes 500 traditional recipes for home cooking, Cebiche Power, and Recontra ¡Bravazo!, among others. Gastón was also one of the founding members of the International Council of the Basque Culinary Center and host of its first meeting in 2011 in Lima, where he participated in the aforementioned ‘Letter to the chefs of tomorrow’.

Pia León

Perú

Pia León consolidates one of the most personal and creative visions of contemporary Latin American gastronomy, in a proposal with which to discover the vast diversity and cultural multiplicity of a country like hers. She first made her mark as co-owner of Central, considered the best restaurant in the world in the list of “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” in its 2023 edition and which for several years topped the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America. Six years ago, Pia set out on her own path with Kjolle, being awarded in 2021 as the World’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Kjolle, which consolidates Pia’s purpose in enhancing and preserving Peruvian culture and beauty, debuted on the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America in 2019 in 21st place, winning the award for the Top New Entry.

Michel Bras

France

A forerunner of gastronomic naturalism, Bras has a passion for the land as a creative concept. An advocate of sustainability and biodiversity, he also rejects hierarchy in the kitchen, preferring to treat his team members as ‘creative collaborators’. In 1992, he realised his dream by opening Le Suquet, a hotel restaurant set in the rugged landscape of Laguiole, where his son Sebasstian currently holds the reins. In 2017, they declined together the three Michelin stars their restaurant had received. However, he remains as dedicated as ever to the magic that he continues to discover in the landscape of his native land. Moreover, after his retirement from the restaurant, Michel concentrated on gastronomic projects with a focus on health promotion, particularly aimed at children suffering from diabetes and hospice care.

Joan Roca

Girona

Joan Roca grew up in the family restaurant Can Roca, where he discovered his mother’s cooking before training at the Escola d’Hostaleria in Girona. Today, he leads El Celler de Can Roca together with his brothers Josep and Jordi, a restaurant with three Michelin Stars and a Green Star for its commitment to sustainability, which reached number one in the world in 2013 and 2015 and, in 2019, entered the Best of the Best category. Recognized as a pioneer in sous-vide and low-temperature cooking, he combines tradition, science, innovation, and sensitivity in his cuisine. He has been named Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Girona, invited by Harvard and the World Economic Forum, and is a UN Goodwill Ambassador alongside his brothers. Together, they have launched multiple projects: Roca Events, the Casa Cacao chocolate factory alongside Hotel Casa Cacao, the ice cream–confectionery–sandwich shop Rocambolesc, the restaurant Normal, the cultural and gastronomic complex Esperit Roca with hotel, restaurants, winery, distillery, and exhibition space, the wine bar Vii, and TimeSpirit, their first international restaurant located at The Macallan distillery in Scotland. In addition, they develop projects linked to research, sustainability, botany, and horticulture. His career has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Michelin Guide’s Chef Mentor distinction and the title of Best Chef in the World by The Best Chef Awards.

Trine Hahnemann

Netherlands

Trine Hahnemann is a Danish chef, former owner of Hahnemanns Køkken, writer and assiduous communicator of the benefits of an everyday, possible and healthy cuisine, focused on organic and sustainable food. After decades of championing the role of women in gastronomy, she is a reference in leadership and team management. Hahnemann has written 10 cookbooks in her native Danish and 7 in English, including “Copenhagen Food” (2018), “The Nordic Diet” (2009) and “The Scandinavian Cookbook” (2008). In 2023 he will publish “Simply Scandinavian”, an inspiring collection of recipes. She writes for magazines and newspapers in the US and Britain, including The Guardian and Time Magazine, and is a regular guest on food programmes on the BBC.

Manu Buffara

Brasil

Manu Buffara is one of Latin America’s most promising chefs. From her restaurant Manu (Curitiba, Paraná) she shares edible samples of her culture and identity. Her passion for cooking is deeply rooted in her upbringing. As a farmer’s daughter, she learned to appreciate the land and its products, and used this knowledge to shape her culinary style. She is also deeply committed to developing projects with social goals. Manu Buffara has been recognised as the Best Female Chef in Latin America in 2022 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. In 2023, her book “Manu: Recipes and Stories from my Brazil” was published where she tells the story of her culinary career based on indigenous ingredients and underserved communities.

Narda Lepes

Argentina

Narda is a chef, communicator and entrepreneur. She is also the author of several books: “Comer y Pasarla Bien”, “Ñam ñam: Manual para alimentar a un pequeño omnívoro” and “201 Tips para no comer como el or**”. In 2017, she opened her restaurant Narda Comedor, which debuted on the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America in 2020. He has played a key role in the creation of associations and projects such as A.C.E.L.G.A., M.I.G.A. and Feria Masticar. Through all these initiatives, he promotes a shift towards more plant-based eating habits. It also works with the Union of Land Workers (UTT) to strengthen its direct sales capacity. In November 2020, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awarded her the prestigious title of Best Female Chef in Latin America. She launched her new app ‘“Comé + Plantas” which allows any user to identify which vegetable or fruit they have in their hands, takes advantage of the camera and the ability of modern phones to analyse and recognise objects and, thanks to this algorithm-based identification, informs their characteristics, optimal consumption mode and tips for eating or cooking any vegetable or fruit live and in real time.

Yoshihiro Narisawa

Japan

Yoshihiro Narisawa is the chef and owner of the two Michelin starred restaurant Narisawa in Tokyo, Japan. It has also been selected as one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. Returning to Japan in 1996 after an arduous journey of apprenticeship throughout Europe, Narisawa opened his first restaurant, which received instant critical acclaim for combining classic French culinary techniques with a poetic use of Japanese ingredients. Narisawa is known for his respect for organic and seasonal ingredients, and has received awards for his commitment to sustainability and conservation. His dishes experiment with authentic Japanese ingredients (such as tree sap, sea snake, herbs and wildflowers) using innovative culinary techniques (such as charring vegetables used in seasoning), creating a haiku-like dining experience that immerses diners “under the spell of the season”. In 2018, he opened Bees Bar by Narisawa, a concept based on the ingredients that define Narisawa’s Satoyama cuisine. In 2021, he published Satoyama Cuisine, an in-depth analysis of Narisawa’s cuisine.

John Regefalk

Sweden

John Regefalk, originally from Skåne (Sweden), began working in professional kitchens during his teenage years, starting his career with traditional Swedish and French cuisine. He later continued his training in some of the best restaurants in Sweden, delving into the principles of New Nordic Cuisine. His international journey has taken him to work in some of the world’s most influential restaurants, such as Noma in Copenhagen, RyuGin in Tokyo, and Metamorfosi in Rome. He is currently a research chef and head of culinary innovation at GOe Tech Center. His work lies at the intersection of science and cuisine, with a focus on fermentations, enzymatic technologies, food sustainability, and consumer perception.

Dan Saladino

United Kingdom

A British food journalist, Dan Saladino has spent more than two decades exploring the stories behind what we eat, mainly through his work for the BBC and Radio 4’s The Food Programme. In one of his most notable publications, Eating to Extinction (2021), he chronicles the struggle to conserve global food biodiversity. It is a widely recognized work that has received awards such as the James Beard Award and the Wainwright Prize. With an approach that combines history, science and travelogue, his work highlights the fragility of today’s food systems and argues for the urgent need to preserve culinary heritage as a way to ensure sustainability and resilience. The publication of From the Sea next June marks the release of his second book, as part of the Picador Shorts series Oceans, Rivers, and Streams, where he appears alongside some of his greatest literary inspirations.

Ángel León

Spain

Born in Jerez de la Frontera, Ángel León has devoted his life to a cuisine that transcends convention. Known as Chef del mar, León has transformed his restaurant Aponiente, in El Puerto de Santa María, into a world reference for haute marine gastronomy. His culinary proposal, awarded three Michelin stars and the first Green Star by the Michelin guide in Spain for its commitment to sustainability, is distinguished by its innovative and responsible approach, where the sea becomes the protagonist. In addition, León has been designated Food Hero 2023 by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization, UN) and is positioned in thirteenth place in the global list that recognizes the 100 most outstanding chefs in the world The Best Chef Awards 2023.

Xabier Agote

Spain

Xabier Agote is a master craftsman dedicated to the preservation of the Basque naval heritage born in San Sebastian. His passion for the sea was born in childhood, influenced by his father and his love for traditional navigation. This vocation led him to train in shipbuilding first in France and then in the United States, specializing in historical and traditional techniques. In 1997 she founded the non-profit association Albaola, and in 2014 she opened the doors of Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria, a shipyard museum located in Pasaia, from where she leads the ambitious reconstruction of the nao San Juan, a 16th century Basque whaler sunk in Canada. Thanks to this project, Agote has managed to highlight the cultural and maritime richness of Euskadi, connecting past and present through a meticulous work that has been internationally recognized.

Ander Izagirre

Spain

Journalist and writer, Ander Izagirre has made the chronicle a way of looking at the world with lucidity, sensitivity and commitment. Born in San Sebastian and trained in Journalism at the University of Navarra, he has developed his career writing chronicles, reports and essays that address social realities from a close and committed perspective. His work has taken him to places like Bolivia, Chernobyl, the Basque Country or the Himalayas, and has been published in media such as El País, National Geographic, Altaïr, Jot Down or 5W. Among his best-known books are Potosí, a chronicle about child mining in Bolivia that received the Euskadi Literature Prize in 2017, and Plomo en los bolsillos, a different look at the world of cycling. In 2015 he was awarded the European Press Award, and in 2019 the II National Sports Journalism Award ‘Manuel Alcántara’.

Antonio Muiños

Spain

A Galician entrepreneur and pioneer in revalorizing seaweed as food, Antonio Muiños has been a key figure in introducing these marine plants into Spain’s haute cuisine. He founded the company Porto Muiños in 1998 and, together with his wife Rosa Mirás, began harvesting seaweed by hand. Gradually, he professionalized a sector that barely existed in Europe at the time. Chefs such as Ferran Adrià, Oriol Castro, and Andoni Luis Aduriz have worked with his products, helping to spread their use. Muiños has championed sustainable harvesting and cultivation, collaborating with research centers to promote the development of new aquaculture production techniques. His work combines dissemination, innovation, and environmental commitment, making Porto Muiños an internationally recognized company that has helped bring visibility to the richness of Galicia’s coastline.

Pedro Sánchez

Born in Cantabria, he holds a degree in Biology from the University of Oviedo and a Master’s in Environmental Sciences from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He has dedicated almost 30 years to the field of aquaculture, working with both fish and algae, always within the private sector.

His professional career began with mapping algae along the Cantabrian coast. He later worked on the uses and applications of algae in the food industry.

He started working in Aquaculture in 1993, focusing on fish nutrition, particularly gilthead sea bream and sea bass, holding positions such as Product Manager and R&D and Nutrition Director.

In 2001, he joined the Aquanaria project, where he held various positions, serving until 2005 as Operations Director at the company’s facilities in the Canary Islands. Since 2018, he has been the Commercial and Marketing Director.

Aquanaria is a company dedicated to the production of large-size sea bass in the Canary Islands, with a presence in more than 30 countries.