Benito Gómez and Juan Carlos Padrón, together with their teams, have put the finishing touch to these gastronomic days at the restaurant Poemas by Hermanos Padrón.
The emblematic Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel and the restaurant Poemas by Hermanos Padrónwith a Michelin star and a Repsol sun, entirely advised by the Padrón brothers and headed by the head chef Iciar Pérez, have once again become the epicenter of gastronomy in the islands with the celebration of the new edition of Inspirational Chef Program Gran Canaria 2023. During the 29th and 30th of September, it was possible to enjoy the union between the Canary Islands and Andalusia thanks to Benito Gómez, guest chef in this edition, and his team of Bardal, a restaurant with two Michelin stars and two Repsol suns located in Ronda.
Perfect synergy in the kitchen
The menu, specially designed for the occasion and composed of 12 courses, was characterized by the perfect synergy that the chefs demonstrated during the two days. A sequence of dishes that encompassed the classics of both restaurants and allowed diners to get to know the best of both cuisines.
Benito Gómez was in charge of starting the experience with his starters: vegetable soup, fig oil and tapioca and fig in fig pickle. These were followed by the Padrón brothers' famous Canarian black pudding and almond praline nougat.
Both chefs, Benito Gómez and Juan Carlos Padrón, have a long history in the kitchen and coincide in their passion for innovation and market products and this has been reflected in the different elaborations presented. On the part of Bardal: chicken skin and shrimp; razor clams with tomato; grilled spring onion with payoyo cheese whey; summer emblanco; rabbit shoulder blanquette, skewered rabbit interiors in matecá colorá and caviar; and puff pastry with lemon verbena, white chocolate and passion fruit. From Poemas by Hermanos Padrón: celery conch; eel "Benedictine"; langoustine, crayfish, crayfish white and sriracha; and pistachio, parchita ice cream and saffron.
The proposal presented by the guest chef fit perfectly with the concept that the Padrón brothers develop in Gran Canaria and that Iciar Pérez reproduces faithfully, managing to be, for two nights, a single restaurant. The perfect and impeccable work in the dining room, as well as the wine pairing, which revolved around the varieties of Listan Blanco and Palomino, thus managing to represent the areas of the Canary Islands and Jerez, proposed by Rafael Hurtado, head waiter and sommelier of Poemas by Padrón Brothers, made both dinners a complete immersive experience for all attendees.
This new edition of Inspirational Chef Program Gran Canaria 2023 had important sponsors. These were: Makro, Heineken, Audi, Moêt & Chandon Champagne and Arehucas, all of them prestigious brands that stand out for the quality of their products.
A gastronomic experience on the island of Gran Canaria
During the day prior to the services in Poemas by Hermanos Padrón, a gastronomic route around the island was organized by EtnoExperience Canarias. During this day, both teams visited emblematic places of Gran Canaria, such as the Old Town of Vegueta and its Mercado de Abastos.
They also visited projects such as the Spanish Bank of Algae in Taliarte, where they could discover the latest innovations and various applications of algae in today's gastronomy. As well as producers such as Carmelo Peña de Bien de Altura in Bandama and the coffee plantation of Finca Las Lajas in the Agaete Valley.
