The first heartfelt ovation that was heard last night at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia was after the presenter mentioned Ricard Camarena, the Valencian chef who has entered the list of the 100 best restaurants in the world for the first time this year and who occupies the position 96th.
The driver listed the names of the restaurants that occupy the 51st position onwards, just as striking in view of the applause that deafened the majestic auditorium yesterday. The audience at the 50 Best Restaurants gala was delivered and their enthusiasm was reminiscent of the emotion of the last Michelin Guide ceremony held in the same venue.
Above all, the good moment of Latin American cuisine was pressed, which won the award for the best restaurant in the world, the Central, in addition to the recognition for the best chef, which went to the Mexican Elena Reyzadas or the best pastry chef for the Ecuadorian Pía Salazar. .
The applause was the dominant tone in a dynamic gala in which Valencia had a leading role with two videos: one praised its landscapes with a quote from Vicent A. Estellés included, another glossed the prolific local cuisine with close-ups of Quique Dacosta, Camarena or Begoña Rodrigo , everyone in the public. The chef from Dénia was very happy yesterday, because he not only acted as a host but his establishment went from position 42 to 20, with all that it implies.
With the record achieved and the good projected image of Valencia, there was satisfaction yesterday among the political representatives. The still regional Secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, valued "very positively having achieved this cosmopolitan environment in Valencia, it is a success for the sector", while the councilor Paula Llobet pointed out that yesterday's gala was an "opportunity to show the quality of the product From Valencia".
Because the meeting was also going to sell the city and its postcard, despite the fact that the complex designed by Santiago Calatrava, where the gala took place as a whole, is already attractive enough. To the characteristic selfies of these meetings -with Dabiz Muñoz, with Cristina Pedroche or with the Hermanos Torres television shows- were added the photos of the venue, the lake and the garden of the Umbracle, the 'ugly duckling' of the magnanimous space and that yesterday at midnight It shone brightly lit as it hosted the event's closing party.
And as the event was going with good food, there was no shortage of well-prepared dishes in advance of the ceremony, where the trays with portions of Valencian orange in textures or horchata French toast were flying. As an anecdote, the Samaruc brass band from Burjassot enlivened the afternoon and managed to bring the cocktail guests to the ceremony, strolling and to the rhythm of the music in a parade. An authentic bite of Valencia without it being necessary, this time, to take the paella for a walk.
