On this occasion, the chef with 3 Michelin stars delighted us with a representative menu of the Celler de Can Roca kitchen and was very accessible to our entire Romero Community.

• Made in Spain Gourmet the novelty in 2021
• Joan Roca Genius and Figure
• Romero Community: very international

2 years ago, during the first edition of the BMG Experience, we share this experience with jordi rock because Joan was on work issues ... in Melbourne, just in our antipodes. And he had that little thorn in him of not having been able to share with us that experience with our community. And since Xavier La Huerta, Svetlana Krolivetskaya and myself, we went to see him in mid-July to explain the 2021 program, he already said "This year I will be with you" - he told us. And from the beginning he was very involved in the 2021 contest, which we deeply appreciate, because a person like him, so recognized worldwide, transmitted humility and interest to us because our BMG Experience keep growing year after year.

Made in Spain Gourmet the novelty in 2021

The facilities by the Roca family were absolute, and committed to Spanish gourmet products, they were interested in those who sponsored us for the occasion.

First of all, we had an Extra Virgin olive oil of the Arbequina and Lleida variety: Castle of the Lord. Picked up a few days ago, its emerald green color characterized the bottle. The owner of this brand is not just any person, it is neither more nor less than the Mr. Lam Chueng Ping, a whole institution in Catalonia, to which he came more than 50 years ago from his native Hong Kong. Today he is a renowned businessman and president of the Chinese business associations in Catalonia and Spain. And in love with the land of Lleida and where he has his farm, where he extracts that wonderful liquid gold.

Fruity, like a good Arbequina, it was fantastic with whatever they put on us, but especially with the glass bread and acorn ham 100% pure breed that brought us Enrique Tomás, he included in attending the event. Always ideal to taste, at any time of the day. But the perfect pairing this time we could share it with the great Mim Nature Pinot Noir de Vins El Cep. A crianza cava from 2017, which is crisp, dry and very refreshing on the palate. A 2017 vintage reserve Brut rosé that would overshadow a good champagne without trying. Ah !! ecological and biodynamic, what else? Well, there is something else, the presence of its General Director and alma mater, Maite esteve, a woman who loves wine and cava and enjoys seeing how people create her creations. We also enjoyed the Cava Clos Gelida 4 Heretats 2016 Gran Reserva (from Xarel.lo, Macabeu, Parellada and Chardonnay), a cava with a lot of personality and that went fantastic with the ham too.

For wine lovers they had two fresh options from the DO del Bierzo, cellar Almazcara Majara de Javier Alvarez, which also accompanied us in this gastronomic-oenological experience. On the one hand, Blanket of the Poor 2018, a 100% white godello, of vineyards located between 500 and 600 meters high, which give a characteristic color and aroma to this great white wine, and on the other the rosé Aphrodisiac, made with grapes Godello and Mencía, autochthonous del Bierzo.

And we also had the pleasure of having the first Vermouth, that of Astobiza, made with grapes Ondarrabi Zuri and that has been awarded this year as The best semi sweet Vermouth in the world !!! Belovedr vincelona He knew how to prepare them, to taste, or white as is, or by adding some red vermouth to give it that semi-sweet taste and glamorous rosé. What a pleasure to taste it alone or with the dishes that Joan Roca prepared for us.

Joan Roca Genius and Figure 

By the way, he surprised us all when he came out to the Agora of the But Marroch, to share those moments with all attendees. He greeted those who approached him, took countless photos and talked with several of the privileged who were there that day, such as the family Quevedo, that fulfilled the dream of meeting him.

Already in the lunch area, he gave us a short speech where he transmitted that values ​​such as humility and a job well done that they saw in their parents, was always the most important thing to obtain the recognitions and the objectives that have been set in their life. And that continues to be the basis of his day to day, doing things very well and never stop learning.

Later we enjoyed their menu, representative of several of the famous dishes that have made the Celler de Can Roca be one of the best restaurants in the world, paired with the Too Much Heart 2018, a white 100% Godello grape, yellow in color, with greenish nuances, clean and bright, and then we taste the Almazcara Majara 2016 100% Mencía grape, a splendid wine that fell in love with everyone, and above all, when Javier Alvarez, He presented them with as much passion as closeness, a real luxury.

For dessert we had the third delivery of cava, the Mim Natura Blanc de Noirs de Vins El Cep, a 2014 Premium cava, biodynamic, made with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, ¡¡c'estais fantastic !! 

We show the people present that the quality of Spanish gourmet products is at the same level as the best from other Mediterranean regions and that you just have to get to know them more, and above all taste and value them for their true value.

That there are people who produce with low quality we cannot include all of them in the same basket.

Romero Community: very international

Many anecdotes and very pleasant and even didactic conversations with all the people I had the pleasure of speaking, how nice to hear Spanish, Catalan, Russian, English, Chinese, Ukrainian, Armenian, Flemish, French ... the more diversity, the more cultural richness. Observe the placid parsimony between people who did not know each other and who are from different cultures but who, through Gastronomy, Spanish and Mediterranean, meet, understand each other and have fun, what a great pleasure to be the architect of this in Romero , share it and enjoy it!

AUTHOR: Israel Romero, CEO of Made in Spain Gourmet.