2023-11-17 13:47:09
Oviedo will be the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy in 2024 for its “attractive gastronomic events” that have surprised the jury. The joy broke out after one in the afternoon in the Plaza del Carbayón, where the mayor, Alfredo Canteli, surrounded by politicians of all colors, hoteliers and hoteliers were anxiously awaiting the deliberations of the Spanish Federation of Hospitality and the Spanish Federation of Journalists and Tourism writers, meeting at noon in Madrid to elect Cuenca’s successor.
The ruling was not unexpected: Oviedo beat Castellón, Alicante and Antequera with the ‘Cuisine that conquers’ candidacy. “We had high hopes of winning” because, according to the councilor, “we were the best and there were external signs that seemed to tell us yes this time.”
This was the third time that Oviedo tried to achieve this recognition. One was under the Mayor’s Office of Gabino de Lorenzo and two works already with Canteli as councilor. Yesterday, he was “excited and a little nervous” about the victory: “Today is a very important day and I have to thank the Councilor for Tourism, Alfredo García Quintana, for his work, because this recognition is not only for next year; “It will always remain in the minds of the people of Oviedo that we were the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy in 2024.”
A distinction that will make Oviedo continue to be a “hive of people” because “we have many attractions” such as an “open-air museum” with jewels such as the Pre-Romanesque and the Cathedral; the Fine Arts, the Archaeological and “good commerce that we have to improve, hospitality that we also have to improve and if we do everything, Oviedo will not stop anyone.”
Oviedo raises the flag of gastronomy with dishes based on its identity cuisine, with fabada, cachopo, cider, cheeses and sweet delicacies such as carbayones and muscovitas.
Furthermore, on the 29th a new page will be marked in the history of Asturias. It will be then when the Kings of Spain inaugurate the Pajares variant that will allow the arrival of high speed after two decades of works, the mayor referred to this: «The AVE is to bring passengers who want to visit the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy and this is thanks to a great team. This does not work with a good mayor or with a good president of Otea: this is thanks to a group where we all work in the same direction.
Work remains and much remains to be done. They have to design the programming for this important year and always with the goal of continuing to improve the good tourism figures obtained in recent years – in December they expect to celebrate one million overnight stays – thanks in large part to the brand ‘Oviedo, origin of the Way’. «We have to explain this new distinction well and treat those who come well. I hope that Asturian politicians know how to value the effort that the City Council has made in all this time” because the tourist who visits Oviedo also travels to the rest of the region, he added.
“For the fourth corners”
The next to speak during the celebration in the Plaza del Carbayón, where there was no shortage of sparkling cider and music from the Real Banda de Gaitas Ciudad de Oviedo, was the president of Otea, José Luis Álvarez Almeida, who congratulated to Canteli and Quintana “for the constant commitment they have had to the tourism sector” and asked the people of Oviedo for their collaboration to “help us and contribute ideas” to continue a legacy that began three years ago with the first meetings to prepare the candidacy and “since then we haven’t stopped.”
In all this time they have prepared a candidacy composed of 132 pages in which the six Protected Designations of Origin (Cabrales, Gamoneé, Casín, Afuega’l Pitu, Sidra de Asturias and Vino de Cangas) and four Protected Geographical Indications ( Los Beyos, Faba Asturiana, Chosco de Tineo and Ternera Asturiana) and a multitude of products covered by the European regulations on Organic Production. This heritage is completed by the ‘Foods of Natural Paradise’. Manjares have caused the candidacy to surprise the jury, according to its resolution drawn up in Madrid and collected by the Europa Press agency.
There, Mariano Palacín, president of the Spanish Federation of Tourism Journalists and Writers, stressed that the Carbayona candidacy “represents the values of Asturian gastronomy, which is unique for its offer of extremely popular dishes” to which we must add “the centenary Fontán Market” that provides raw materials to restaurants. “Oviedo shows a cuisine with a clear identity profile that offers its own products, unique for their proximity and quality and backed by customer acceptance,” continued the general director of the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy, Pedro Palacios.
Returning to Oviedo, Quintana highlighted that “we are very satisfied and very happy” with this recognition that rewards the city and the hospitality industry at the same time. «This is a project where we have managed to involve all the agents and we have managed to generate great enthusiasm», especially after some very hard years due to the closures decreed due to the pandemic and inflation: «Now we have a great responsibility that is “execute this project assuming that role as capital of the Principality of Asturias but also with the desire that the rest of the Asturian towns, producers and professionals in the sector take advantage of it.”
Likewise, the president of the Association of Cider Houses on Gascona Street, Pedro Caramés, recalled that “we have been trying for a few years” to obtain this recognition that “is very important for Oviedo.” For her part, Mari Fernández, from the El Fartuquín restaurant and the Club de las Guisanderas, hopes that it will “fill many tables.” “An important year awaits us where we all have to work to make Oviedo a destination for tourists,” concluded Miguel Ángel de Dios, senior brother of Disarmament and owner of the Bodegón de Teatinos.
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