The Balearic Islands Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers Awards were presented at the Arrels Fair

Yesterday at midday, the Áula de la Feria Arrels hosted the presentation of the Balearic Islands Gastronomic Awards, which are presented annually by the Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers of our community, in the Es Mercadal Fairgrounds, which for the first time has hosted these important and prestigious awards.

The winners were, and by island, the following:

MENORCA

Sergio Villalonga – Chef of the year

Almost a decade at the head of the kitchen of one of the best-known groups in the city, the Balear group, he has worked in restaurants such as Roma, or Café Balear -where he currently works-; Sergio Villalonga has been chosen this year as 'chef of the year' by the Association of Journalists and Gastronomic Writers of the Balearic Islands. A professional who, although he has a career spanning three decades in the hotel sector, has not been in the kitchen for so long: he says that he has been working for about fifteen years, perhaps less, discovered that cooking was his passion, and took the plunge, as if by chance.

The award was presented by Bep Al lès Salvà, president of the Association of Journalists and Gastronomic Writers of the Balearic Islands.

Vermell Restaurant, Revelation Restaurant

The Vermell restaurant appeared in 2023, with the Vestige Son Vell hotel. A 180-hectare estate, located in Ciutadella, and which presents a restored 18th-century manor house. It is in this agricultural, elegant and bygone era environment, where two kitchens appear focused on local, artisanal products from the island. The Sa Clarissa restaurant, by day; and the Vermell restaurant, when the sun goes down.

This project of the Vestige business group, headed in Menorca by Joan Bagur, former owner and chef of the Rels Menorca restaurant, as executive kitchen director, and the head chef, Paula Florit, has been awarded by the Association of Journalists and Gastronomic Writers of the Balearic Islands (APEGIB), with the Restaurant Revelación award for its novelty, its success and, above all, its offer.

The award was presented by Adolfo Vilafranca, president of the Consell de Menorca.

Juan Carlos García – Ice Cream Maker of the Year

Born from a memory, from a purpose, Juan Carlos García's adventure with confectionery, pastry and the art of making ice cream, goes back a long time. From when his father prepared his first homemade ice cream, “with a special taste that has been drowned in my memory. And for me it has always been the best cream ice cream I have ever eaten.” A memory with taste, with smell, and even with sight and touch, which García wanted to combine with his future projects. This is how La Fábrica de Farry was born, in honour of his father's nickname; and with the pleasure of making, growing and learning in pastry and cake making.
After years of growth and evolution, the Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers of the Balearic Islands has awarded him the prize for pastry chef/cake maker of the year.

The prize is presented by Joan Pallisser, mayor of Es Mercadal.

Víctor Torrent - Best Head Waiter

Víctor Torrent Vivó (Ciutadella, 38 years old) is the co-owner, together with his brother Alfonso, of the Pinzell restaurant, of which he is also the head waiter. The Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers of the Balearic Islands (APEGIB) has just recognised his work with the award for the Best Head Waiter in Menorca.

After completing the Intermediate Degree in Catering at the IES Maria Àngels Cardona Hospitality School in Ciutadella, Víctor Torrent began an intense professional career that led him to work at the Hotel Prinsotel La Caleta, at the kiosk in Plaza des Born (ten years) and at the Es Fabiol restaurant (eight years), alongside his brother Alfonso.

With the opening of Pinzell on 6 May 2018, Víctor made a dream come true and, at the same time, paid tribute to his deceased brother, the artist Pepe Torrent Vivó, who moved to Pisco (Peru) in October 2017 as a result of an asthma attack. Pincel represents an original and novel proposal on the Ciutadella scene that does not forget its roots or its origin.

The award is presented by Joan Simonet, Minister of Agriculture of the Government of the Balearic Islands.

El Paladar – Professional career

Two decades ago, one of the best-known Menorcan gastronomic projects was born. Under the name of El Paladar, Kiko Muñoz and Pepe Moreno opened their first store on Calle de la Creu, in Ciutadella. A company that sought to take care of the palates of people, both from Menorca and from outside, bringing the gourmet experience to the island. And after twenty years, it has managed to have seven stores spread across Menorca, Mallorca and Ibiza, as well as serving the restaurant sector, and offering catering for various events.

This year, after the first store closed last year and they acquired a new outlet on the Santandria road, the Association of Journalists and Gastronomic Writers of the Balearic Islands has awarded them the prize for their professional career. For expanding beyond the island, and for not stopping growing and evolving at all times.

The award was presented by Bartomeu Font, secretary of the Association of Journalists and Gastronomic Writers of the Balearic Islands.

Vicent Vila – Local Product Promotion

If there is a restaurant in Menorca where the expressions 'kilometre 0' and 'local product' make sense, this is Es Molí de Foc (Calle de Sant Llorenç, 65, Sant Climent. – 971 15 32 22), one of the great temples of Menorcan gastronomy, which occupies an old 19th century cereal mill. Vicent Vila (Carcaixent, Valencia, 1958), the owner and former chef of the establishment, aged 66, has distinguished himself over the years for his passionate defence of Menorcan products. Vicent and his wife Clara inaugurated a new phase of the restaurant on 16 May 1996, which they ran as managers until 2006, when they offered the owners, the Swiss Natale and Margarita Sciammanna, a purchase option, which they accepted. After his retirement, just under a year ago, Vila has decided to leave the restaurant in the hands of the new head chef, Mario Delgado. The restaurant's gastronomic offer, which has been in the Michelin Guide for 28 years without interruption, is centred on rice dishes, with traditional recipes that are reinterpreted with new flavours. Vila, who has been named Santclimenter of the Year and has given the opening speech at the festivities, is also a music lover. In fact, he made a career at the Valencia Conservatory and plays the trumpet and flugelhorn in the Maó Music Band.

The award is presented by Maria Antònia Taltavull, Minister of Economy and General Services of the Council of Menorca.

Calucha – Best gastrobar

Dishes made with market products, with a more than interesting wine list, and a spectacular setting make the Calucha bar-restaurant a must-visit. The toast, the little boats or climbing trees, the potato omelette, a recipe from his mother that has already become legendary, or the mini sandwiches known as caluchitos are a sample of what the client can find at Calucha, which has just received the Award for Best Gastrobar from the Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers of the Balearic Islands.

A special place where you can enjoy a surprising morcilla sandwich with endive croquettes, a tortilla pesade with soft cheese and capers, a marinated octopus and mussels, or a lobster stew.

Biel Sintes, a former tennis and paddle tennis teacher turned restaurateur, has made the miracle of having a gastrobar possible that embodies like no other the concept of personalised cooking that good food lovers know how to value so much.

The award is presented by Pep Natta, member of the Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers of the Balearic Islands.

Sa Fonda de Fornells – Ramon Cavaller Award, best Menorcan cuisine restaurant

Jordi Pons Villalonga (Mercadal, 42 years old) is the manager and owner of the Sa Fonda de Fornells restaurant, one of the great temples of Menorcan cuisine, which has just been awarded the Ramon Cavaller Award. In its second season, the establishment has already earned the favour of critics and the applause and praise of customers, who have recognised the value of its offering, based on traditional recipes, especially Menorcan cuisine, but also Balearic, and its firm commitment to local produce.

Joan Pallisser, mayor of Es Mercadal, presents the award

MALLORCA

Bernabé Caravotta - Mallorca Gastronomic Critics Award

This is not the first time we have given this chef an award. Ten years ago, we awarded him the award for Mallorca's Best New Restaurant of 2014 in Ombú for his great work, an establishment that is part of the Forn de Sant Joan group and where he was the mastermind and executor of a tasty and very interesting menu.

Bernabé Caravotta was born in Mar del Plata and since he arrived in Mallorca in 2008 to inaugurate the kitchens of the Safrà 21 rice restaurant, this Argentine chef has proven his worth. He studied at the Argentine Institute of Gastronomy in Buenos Aires and did apprenticeships with René Redzepi, of the prestigious Noma, in Copenhagen, and with Mauro Colagreco at Mirazuro, on the Côte d'Azur.

In 2017 he created the Vàndal restaurant in the Balearic capital, one of the restaurants that never go out of fashion in Palma. Since then, together with fellow Argentinian Sebastián Pérez, they have only grown their business and culinary talent with the openings of the Santa and L'Atelier de Vàndal restaurants, which like Vàndal are located in the fishing district of Santa Catalina.

Today he continues with a style that recalls his travels around the world, a nomadic cuisine in which local produce is always present, which is well made and never ceases to surprise, and with a philosophy with which everyone, whether from here or further away, feels comfortable and welcome. Congratulations!

Bartomeu Font, secretary of the Association of Gastronomic Journalists and Writers of the Balearic Islands, presents the award

Can Miquel Ice Cream Parlor – Cati Juan de Corral Award

Located at 9 Montcades Street in Palma. It is an artisanal ice cream parlour that has been making ice creams with natural and local products since 1979, following the recipes of its founder Miquel Solivelles Vallori, faithful to offering customers flavours and textures of local and seasonal ingredients.

The project is currently headed by the third generation Marian Valero, Miquel's cleaner who receives this legacy from her mother Maria Teresa Solivellas, daughter of Miquel Solivelles.
Can Miquel ice cream parlour, ice creams, sorbets and artisanal nougats. Like her grandfather, she is always looking for ice cream that can surprise, proof of this is that currently in her establishment you can taste more than 100 flavours of ice cream between sweet and savoury.

They excuse their presence for family health reasons that have prevented them from travelling to Menorca.

IBIZA AND FORMENTERA

Hierbas Marí Mayans – Ibiza Gastronomic Critic Award

The Marí Mayans family has been dedicated to the production of quality liqueurs and the search for aromatic plants since the end of the 19th century.

They are committed to tradition and innovation, not forgetting the beginnings, the original recipes of their founder, Joan Marí Mayans, and they have been able to adapt to the new times and current tastes, with new lines of select products based on local tastes, except that they consider a distinctive feature of all their creations. Thus, the Marí Mayans family continues to move forward with new products, a new image, without abandoning the artisanal techniques with the new knowledge and enthusiasm of the new generations.

They excuse their presence for work reasons that have prevented them from travelling to Menorca.

Virginia Marí Renneson – Joan Castelló and Josepa Orvay Award

Virginia Marí Rennesson (Democratic Republic of the Congo 1962 – Ibiza 2023) was the first female fisheries inspector in Ibiza, between 1994 and 2000.

Despite having dedicated part of her professional career to politics both in Vila and in the Consell d'Eivissa, she was proud of the work she carried out for many years working together with the fishing sector. Among other issues, she denounced bad practices that harmed the work of professional fishermen, such as the waste of tuna, and defended recreational fishing.

In addition, she was secretary of the monitoring committee of the Es Freus marine reserve in Ibiza and Formentera.

A journalist by training, she promoted fish consumption with the publication of two books, ¡Pez, sí! and Pez, sí! 2, two collections of fish recipes with which she also saved this popular knowledge of Pitiusan cuisine from oblivion, making it available to the public.

Virgina Marí, unfortunately left us just over a year ago, victim of a serious illness. It is for this support to a sector as delicate as fishing and its deep relationship with gastronomy that today we want to pay her a small posthumous tribute.

This recognition was collected posthumously by her two sons, Marc and Carlos Juan Marí.

The award was presented by Adolfo Villafranca, president of the Consell de Menorca.