The inauguration of the Gastronomic Forum, which runs until Wednesday, February 11, focused on a presentation about the importance of escudella as a Catalan gastronomic heritage. Key speakers included the sommelier of El Celler de Can Roca, Josep Roca, and the renowned chef Carme Ruscalleda.
“"Traditional recipes hold a special weight at El Celler de Can Roca, and what is traditional today incorporates a legitimized innovation."
Roca used his speech to emphasize the constant evolution of cuisine, citing the incorporation of the potato into escudella as an example—an ingredient that was not part of the original recipe before the discovery of America. This reflection was complemented by the preparation of soups by the new generations of the family, Marc and Martí Roca.
In parallel with the presentations, the first day hosted the national competition for pilota (meatball) and botifarra negra (black pudding) for escudella, where butchers from across Catalonia competed for the best composition. In the afternoon, the contest to choose the Best Sommelier of Catalonia was held, along with a gastronomic demonstration by the Michelin-starred restaurant, Ca l'Enric, from Vall de Bianya.
