The Department of Festivals of the Arrecife City Council announced this Saturday the names of the nine winners of the Gastronomic Contest organized for the selection of traditional Christmas food stalls for 2025/2026.
This competition, held in a Municipal Market full of festive atmosphere, brought together 24 contestants, double that of the previous edition, reflecting the growing interest of citizens and restaurant professionals in recovering and strengthening culinary identity during these holidays.
After the professional jury's evaluation and the participation of the attending public in the tasting, the stalls were awarded to: Servando Pérez Dorta, Arturo Santana Santana, Alejandro Betancor Hernández, Oswaldo Rodríguez Felipe, Mencey Medina Elvira, Luis del Olmo González, Jorge González Betancor, Julio Alejandro Torres Yáñez and Echedey Arbelo Álvarez.
The nine food stalls will be distributed between the Municipal Market (four) and Plaza de Las Palmas, next to the Church of San Ginés (five), and there various culinary proposals will be offered, with traditional Canarian cuisine dishes predominating, with a firm commitment to zero-kilometer products and recipes that are part of the islands' cultural heritage. Among them, traditional and updated versions of "caldo millo" (corn soup), "fideos costeros" (coastal noodles), tuna, goat meat, "ropa vieja" (shredded meat stew), and octopus in different preparations, among other classics, will be tasted
The Contest
Throughout the four hours the competition lasted, hosted by presenter Carmen Nieves Pérez, each of the 24 participants presented two creations: one they had prepared beforehand and another cooked live during the competition.
In total, the jury and the public were able to evaluate 48 culinary proposals, which turned the event into a true popular gastronomic gathering
The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, and the deputy mayor and councilor for Festivals, Echedey Eugenio, who were present during the event and were able to taste some of the offerings, congratulated the winners, thanked the notable participation, and highlighted the success of a call that "represents the strength of our traditions, the value of our products, and the enthusiasm of a municipality that lives and feels Christmas".
Both leaders recalled that "traditional gastronomy has always been an essential expression of our municipal festivals, and recovering it with strength is part of the path of good governance we have undertaken." They also emphasized that the magnificent response to this edition confirms that Arrecife wants lively and participatory Christmas celebrations.
The mayor and the deputy mayor encouraged the public to enjoy the food stalls and announced that the official Christmas program will be presented in the coming days, with new features aimed at revitalizing the city center and strengthening local traditions.
