- Aponiente’s chef has received today a special mention from the ninth edition of the Basque Culinary World Prize 2024 for his transformative impact in exploring the possibilities of the ocean as a gastronomic larder and for bringing to light the potential of unexplored ingredient applications.
- This international award recognises chefs with transformative initiatives that have a positive impact on society through innovation, health, nutrition, education, the environment, social development and other relevant aspects.
- The Basque Culinary World Prize, considered the «Nobel Prize of Gastronomy», values not only culinary excellence, but also the social and environmental impact of the actions undertaken by those who are nominated.
- Ángel León joins other two award-winning chefs who have demonstrated their ability to have a positive impact on society through their work. Andrés Torres (winner of the award for his work with the NGO Global Humanitaria in favour of food security and his intervention in different crisis situations, as well as for the creation of the Casa Nova restaurant) and Gisela Medina (special mention) for highlighting the ancestral cuisine of the Corrientes region in Argentina.
- The winners were chosen by the International Council of the Basque Culinary Center, meeting in Peru and made up of some of today ‘s most influential chefs. Gastón Acurio and Pía León hosted this meeting, which was also attended by great figures such as Joan Roca, Dominique Crenn, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Manu Buffara, Elena Reygadas, Trine Hahnemann, Thitid Tassanakajohn, Josh Niland, Narda Lepes and Mauro Colagreco.
Lima, 19 June 2024. Ángel León has received a special mention today at the 9th edition of the Basque Culinary World Prize for his transformative impact in exploring the possibilities of the ocean as a gastronomic larder and for bringing to light the potential of unexplored ingredient applications. Considered the «Nobel Prize of Gastronomy», this worldwide award recognises chefs with transformative initiatives that have a positive impact on society through innovation, health, nutrition, education, the environment, social development and other relevant aspects. Not only culinary excellence is valued, but also the social and environmental impact of the actions undertaken by these professionals.
The Basque Culinary World Prize 2024 winner was chosen by the International Council of the Basque Culinary Center, which met in Peru and is made up of some of today ‘s most influential chefs. Founded by Ferrán Adrià (Spain), Joan Roca (Spain), Gastón Acurio (Peru), Massimo Bottura (Italy), Michel Bras (France), René Redzepi (Denmark), Heston Blumenthal (UK), Alex Atala (Brazil), Dan Barber (USA) and Yukio Hattori (Japan); over the years, Enrique Olvera (Mexico), Mauro Colagreco (Argentina/France), Manu Buffara (Brazil), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), Trine Hahnemann (Denmark), Dominique Creen (France/USA), Pía León (Peru), Josh Niland (Australia), Narda Lepes (Argentina), Elena Reigadas (Mexico), and Ton Ttassanakajohn (Thailand) have also joined in.
Chefs are nominated for the award either for sustained work throughout their career or for specific initiatives. Ángel León joins other award-winning chefs who have demonstrated their ability to positively influence society through their work. Andrés Torres (winner of the award for his work with the NGO Global Humanitaria in favour of food security and his intervention in different crisis situations, as well as for the creation of the Casa Nova restaurant) and Gisela Medina (special mention) for highlighting the ancestral cuisine of the Corrientes region in Argentina.
After the announcement, Joan Roca, President of the Jury of the Basque Culinary World Prize, said of Ángel León: «he is a chef who is very well known to us and is doing an incredible job in highlighting the value of the marine larder; through his work he spreads the awareness necessary to preserve the planet’s resources».
«I am honored to receive this recognition from a world-renowned and pioneering academic institution, as well as from great colleagues whom I admire and who form part of the International Council of the Basque Culinary Center. I am grateful that the work of a great team, of the immense Aponiente family, which is much more than a restaurant and is an integral project that seeks to reactivate and recover the environment that surrounds us in Cádiz, restoring and creating an ecosystem for future generations, caring for the natural capital of our estuaries and marshes in Andalusia, is being valued. I continue and will continue to believe that the sea has and offers everything; that we have to continue working to find those unknown ingredients that it holds, and thus combat the great problems that we face and continue to transform the world», said Ángel León.
Water, the basic element of life, has always been the obsession of Ángel León and the Aponiente team (*** Michelin Stars, Michelin Green Star, #64 The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, Most Sustainable Restaurant The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 and #13 The Best Chef Awards 2023). Ángel León has also been recognised in 2023 as a Food Hero by the FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, for his global work to promote sustainable gastronomy and raise awareness of water management.
The chef is considered a revolutionary genius whose devotion to nature has led him to discover, use and reinvent foods from the great larder of the sea. The pioneering work of the Aponiente team in Cádiz is known worldwide for its commitment to the conservation and preservation of the ocean, the use of historically discarded marine species, the research of new unknown ingredients and the pursuit of sustainable fishing.
@aponiente_angel_leon
@angel_leon_aponiente
IMAGES IN THIS LINK
PRESS CONTACT
Vanessa Kroop
vanessak@mateoandco.es M. +34 608 849809