COCO MONTES CHAMPIONS MICRO-SEASONALITY AS A CREATIVE DRIVING FORCE AND HIGHLIGHTS CUISINE THAT ADAPTS TO THE DINER AT MADRID FUSIÓN ALIMENTOS DE ESPAÑA 2026
- Chef Coco Montes, head of PABÚ (1 MICHELIN star), made a triple appearance at the 2026 edition of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España.
- The chef highlighted the pillars of his gastronomic philosophy: absolute respect for the product, micro-seasonality and creativity deeply linked to the plant world.
- In the Makro Classroom, he presented the lecture ‘Brilliant Principles’.
- In the afternoon, the chef took to the Main Auditorium with the presentation ‘Green Creativity’, focusing on the prominence of plant-based products as a creative, expressive and gastronomic axis, a line of work that defines both his career and the identity of PABÚ.
- In addition, on the Madrid Fusión Dreams #SpainFoodTechNation stage, Coco Montes shared with Rubén Hernández Mosquero (EMi) and Miguel Ángel Mayor (Cávala, Málaga) his experiences and lessons learned after working on various international haute cuisine projects.
- In an edition of Madrid Fusión held under the slogan ‘The customer takes control’, PABÚ’s proposal is one of the clearest and most coherent examples of this way of understanding the gastronomic experience.
Madrid, 28 January 2026 – Coco Montes, head of PABÚ (1 MICHELIN star), made a triple appearance at the 2026 edition of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España, one of the world’s most influential gastronomic conferences. The chef highlighted the pillars of his gastronomic philosophy: absolute respect for the product, micro-seasonality and creativity deeply linked to the plant world.
In the Makro Classroom, he presented the lecture ‘Brilliant Principles’, in which he addressed the conceptual and technical foundations that underpin his micro-seasonal cuisine. In the afternoon, the chef took to the Main Auditorium with the presentation ‘Green Creativity’, focusing on the prominence of plant-based products as a creative, expressive and gastronomic axis, a line of work that defines both his career and the identity of PABÚ. In addition, on the Madrid Fusión Dreams #SpainFoodTechNation stage, Coco Montes shared with Rubén Hernández Mosquero (EMi) and Miguel Ángel Mayor (Cávala, Málaga) his experiences and lessons learned after working on various international haute cuisine projects, and explained how this journey later inspired the creation of his personal project in Spain.
Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Coco Montes completed his apprenticeship with a decisive stint at chef Alain Passard’s restaurant L’Arpège, where he developed a deep sensitivity to seasonality and vegetable based cuisine. Before opening PABÚ, he gained experience in high-end kitchens in Spain, such as Zalacaín and Azurmendi, as well as top-level international venues.
At PABÚ, Montes embodies a culinary philosophy based on radical freshness, delicate textures and absolute respect for the product’s moment. Nothing is prepared in advance: each dish is a snapshot of the day, guided by micro-seasons and a vision of honest, lively and constantly evolving cuisine.
Coco Montes designs each menu to suit those sitting at the table: it is not the diner who adapts to the restaurant, but the restaurant that adapts to the diner, to their pace, their emotions and their curiosity. In an edition of Madrid Fusión held under the slogan ‘The customer takes control’, PABÚ’s proposal is one of the clearest and most coherent examples of this way of understanding the gastronomic experience.
The 24th edition of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España brought together some of the most influential figures in world gastronomy. Among the prominent names are Aitor Zabala, creator of Somni*** (Los Angeles), Akrame Benallal (Akrame*), Mauro Uliassi (Uliassi***, Senigallia), Diego Rossi (Trippa, Milan), Bas Van Kraanen (Flore**), Vicky Cheng (Vea Restaurant & Lounge*, Hong Kong), Bruno Verjus (Table**, Paris) and Pía León (Kjolle, Lima). Alongside them, leading figures in Spanish gastronomy such as Ferran Adrià, Dabiz Muñoz, Quique Dacosta and Jordi Roca also took part in the congress.
Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España celebrates its most international, ambitious and participatory edition this year, bringing together more than 300 top-level speakers from Europe, Asia and America.
About PABÚ
PABÚ is Coco Montes’ home in Madrid. A space where every day’s cooking is based on absolute respect for the product and its moment. It opened its doors in November 2023, at 4 Panamá Street, as a restaurant that lives in tune with nature. Its concept is based on transparency, craftsmanship and a daily selection of authentic ingredients: vegetables, fruit, poultry and fish at their peak.
Nothing is prepared in advance. At PABÚ, everything is made fresh every day — from natural sourdough bread to pastries and ice cream — respecting the cycles of the earth and the pure flavour of each ingredient. Its cuisine, French-inspired and Spanish at heart, is traditional and sophisticated, but above all alive: ephemeral, fresh and constantly changing. Each dish is a snapshot of the day, a reflection of the micro-seasons that mark the pantry and guide the menu.
About Coco Montes
Coco Montes (Madrid, 1988) is a chef who understands cooking as a form of expression. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Madrid and Paris, he obtained the Grand Diplôme in cooking, pastry and baking. His career has been marked by high standards and the pursuit of purity, with more than six years working alongside chef Alain Passard at L’Arpège (Paris, three Michelin stars), where he developed a deep connection with the world of vegetables and seasonality.
During his final period in Paris, he was responsible for coordinating the restaurant’s international events in cities such as Shanghai, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Sydney, Aspen, Abu Dhabi, New Delhi and Punta Cana. He has also worked at Eleven Madison Park (New York), Azurmendi and Zalacaín in Spain.
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