The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, and also responsible for the Area of Economic Promotion, Oswaldo Betancort, has sealed this Friday at the headquarters of the Institution the candidacy of the Island to organize the first novel edition of the Autonomous Competition of Pinchos and Tapas of the Canary Islands, under the license of the National Tapas Competition of Valladolid. Specifically, the president has signed a protocol of intentions together with the Councilor for Tourism, Events and City Brand of the City Council of Valladolid, Blanca Jiménez.
The head of the Island Council has stressed the importance of opening "new market niches" in the main economic activity of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, convinced that both parties will promote during the coming months - as set out in the document - the realization of workshops with professionals in the sector and presentations of the gastronomic offer in each of the two tourist destinations.
The collaboration agreement signed will also enable a series of actions in different advertising media to promote both destinations among their entrepreneurs. But the president of Lanzarote has especially stressed the relevance of launching what will be the first Autonomous Competition of Pinchos and Tapas of the Canary Islands scheduled for 2025: "This understanding between the Cabildo of Lanzarote and Tourism of Valladolid will facilitate the promotion of the gastronomic offer crossed between both cities, within the Framework of Saborea España," said Betancort, considering also that "this type of events are presented as an opportunity to improve the sector in terms of training, competitiveness and professionalization, and represent an impulse for young and entrepreneurial people."
Likewise, the joint initiative will facilitate that the regional chef winner of the Competition in Lanzarote has direct access to the final of the National Tapas Competition of Valladolid, which faces after a tough selection to less than fifty chefs and that celebrates next November its twentieth edition. This has been confirmed by the president of the Cabildo, who has instructed his technicians to launch everything necessary to make this gastronomic event a benchmark throughout the Canary Islands.
The Councilor of the Tourist Centers of Lanzarote, Ángel Vázquez, for his part, has valued "the infinite possibilities offered by an agreement that will make Lanzarote the best scenario for the celebration of the regional meeting of those destinations that have in the tapa a fundamental element for its projection and tourist promotion."
Lanzarote will attend the National Competition
After the signing of this Protocol of Intentions, the International Museum of Contemporary Art (MIAC) - Castillo de San José, in Arrecife, hosted the state presentation of the XX National Pinchos and Tapas Competition City of Valladolid, and the VIII World Tapas Championship City of Valladolid. The launch took place with the presence of the island's president, along with a large representation of Lanzarote businessmen and restaurateurs.
The Valladolid councilor for Tourism, Blanca Jiménez, has announced there the keys to the XX National Pinchos and Tapas Competition City of Valladolid, which this year 2024 will be held in the Millennium Dome from 11 to 13 November. Lanzarote and La Graciosa will be represented at this important event.
The councilor warned that, although we are talking about two territories disparate in the geographical - one is a city in the peninsular interior and the other is an Atlantic island - there are many things that unite them: "Among them," she said, "our membership to Saborea España. Because precisely Lanzarote and Valladolid are two founding members that still continue today. We are brothers in gastronomy and we have worked together for many years in Saborea España."
Valladolid has presented itself as the 'World Capital of Tapas' through a seal of identity: gastronomy. A title strengthened with the celebration of this gastronomic event in which year after year the best tapas specialists from all over the country meet and that in this 2024 acquires a special relevance with its twentieth edition. It should be noted that the competition will have France as a guest country and that, during those dates, will also take place the VIII World Tapas Championship City of Valladolid.
Oswaldo Betancort - who before the start of the event thanked the island's business community for the joint work developed during his first year in the presidency - then spoke of the "opportunity" to take advantage of the international gastronomic forum of Valladolid to promote Lanzarote as a gastronomic destination. "This will be a new impetus to continue improving the results of the positioning of brand and image of the Lanzarote and Graciosa destination," Betancort recalled about this novel incursion into the proposals of gastronomy in miniature.
Tasting of the best tapas
The Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism of Lanzarote have presented during this meeting their tapa 'Shrimp salad from La Santa on crispy rice', a tapa created by the chefs of the Entity and that "represents a small part of the much and good that offers our renewed gastronomic proposal," explained the Councilor of the Centers, Ángel Vázquez.
In addition to chef Pedro García, responsible for the Restaurant of the Castillo de San José, the presentation was attended by the chef champion of the National Tapas Competition City of Valladolid in 2023, Teo Rodriguez, who has been responsible for preparing for the attendees his winning tapa: 'Pucela Roll'.
This young chef also spoke before the public, recounting the vital change that meant for him his victory in the famous Valladolid contest. And he encouraged the local restaurant sector to continue promoting public-private collaboration to strengthen the already internationally consolidated gastronomic offer that exhibits Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
