Members of the congress, lecturers, journalists, sponsors, institutions, organization… all those involved in this 4th ever BCNVanguardia applauded the new "Experimenta" concept for gastronomic congresses.

The main objective was to achieve a greater interaction between chefs and spectators; to bring the stage and the audience closer together, by providing the true essences of cuisine: creation and tasting. This was the great concept introduced at BCNVanguardia this year, because cuisine means eating, touching, smelling, feeling, and this is exactly what took place at BCNVanguardia “Experimenta”.

Catalan and Spanish cuisine proved that they are a worldwide benchmark. “Experimenta” was the chosen place to present the up-coming Curso de Ciencia y Cocina (Science and Cookery Course), which will take place from next September at the prestigious Harvard University. The Fundación Alicia was the institution in charge of being the mediator between the University and the chefs who will act as the lecturers of the course:

Ferran Adrià (Rest. El Bulli, Roses), José Andrés (Rest. Jaleo, Washington), Nando Jubany (Can Jubany, Calldetenes), Joan Roca (Rest. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona), Enric Rovira (Xocolates Enric Rovira, Barcelona), Carme Ruscalleda (Rest. Sant Pau, Sant Pol) y Carles Tejedor (Rest. Via Veneto, Barcelona).

Others who took part included: Otger Campàs (Harvard University, Cambridge, EEUU), Dave Weitz (Harvard University, Cambridge, EEUU), Pere Castells (Fundación Alicia, Sant Fruitós de Bages), and Toni Massanés (Fundación Alicia, Sant Fruitós de Bages).

Also, one of the main attractions of the congress was the Tribute to the Roca family, a moving ceremony in which the gastronomic community present at BCNVanguardia could pay homage to the restaurant El Celler de Can Roca and to all the people who helped create what it is today.

The chefs that attended BCNVanguardia “Experimenta” included:

Ferran Adrià, Juan Mari Arzak, Martín Berasategui, Pedro Subijana, Christian Escribà, Ramón and Josep Mª Freixa, Carles Gaig, Alberto Herraiz, Belarmino Iglesias, Carme Ruscalleda, Nando Jubany, Hideki Matsuhisa, Nacho Manzano and Santiago Guerrero, Josep Barahona, Nandu Jubany, Albert Raurich, Roberto Ruíz, Marcelo Tejedor, Sergio and Javier Torres, the Roca family, Carles Gaig, Sergi Arola, Oriol and Jordi Rovira, Rafa Peña, the team from the restaurant Embat, the team from the restaurant Libentia...

The next BCNVanguardia, taking place in 2012, will continue to evolve and experiment. Until next time…