After a break last year when it was held in Lisbon, Alimentaria returns to Barcelona from April 16 through April 19 2018, where it is expected to cater to an even wider range of tastes than ever. Held at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via Exhibition Centre, the event—in which around 4,000 companies from over 70 different countries take part— epitomises the way in which the food industry, gastronomy and tourism come together to garner international recognition for Spanish cuisine.
It will feature the talents of a new generation of chefs, and focus on Spanish wines, olive oils and cheeses as some of the country’s most representative products. As in previous years, the fair—now in its 40th year—aims to be a huge success, attracting anything up to 150,000 trade professionals, 35% of whom come from abroad. In 2018, Alimentaria will be organised into five trade fairs: Intervin (wines and spirits), Intercarn (meat and meat products), Restaurama (restaurants), Interlact (milk and dairy products) and Multiple Foods (confectionery, preserves, oils and premium products).
This year, Alimentaria is setting out to offer its visitors an even wider range of gourmet experiences than ever, designed to showcase all the innovation and creativity of the national catering scene whilst deeply rooted in the traditions, authenticity and culinary diversity of Spain. In order to do so, the fair sees the return of The Alimentaria Experience: the ultimate gastronomic space where Master Classes, workshops and numerous show-cooking sessions will be held. Around 40 chefs will be taking part, including established names alongside up-and-coming talents.
Restaurama, which hosts The Alimentaria Experience, is one of the fair’s cornerstones, providing a meeting point for the hospitality and catering sector and serving as an excellent platform for showcasing the latest trends and innovations. This year, The Alimentaria Experience is launching new spaces designed to show off those trends. There will be an area devoted to food-and wine-related tourism with suggestions for destinations that combine high-quality products, culinary heritage, regional culture and scenery. Meanwhile, in the Cocktail & Spirits area, there will be an exhibition of the finest products in the alcoholic beverages sector as well as a bar for demos and pairing sessions featuring well-known experts. Lastly, there will be spaces dedicated to the recent boom in urban eating and food trucks.
Lovers of Spanish wine will make a beeline for Intervin, the International Wine & Spirits Fair at Alimentaria. This year will see the return of VINORUM Think, a unique space where visitors can find out about all aspects of the latest trends in the Spanish wine industry in the company of some of the biggest national and international names in the world of wine. These include champagne maestro Richard Juhlin—renowned for his ability at blind tasting—and Pedro Ballesteros, Spanish Master of Wine. There will be three main areas: The Expert’s View, a program of selected tastings under the guidance of six international experts; Spain’s Top Pairings, a space in which to explore historic harmonies between wine and gastronomy based around a six-course lunch prepared by some of the nation’s top restaurateurs and sommeliers; and Open Tasting,
free tasting session at a wine bar that sets out to showcase new wines, presenting over 100 Spanish and foreign labels. Of all the fair’s different experiences, surely Vinorum Think is the one where visitors will most appreciate being accompanied by someone with whom they can share these delicacies. That is why catering industry professionals or other business people visiting Barcelona should contact Barcelonaescorts as soon as possible in order to assure themselves of the company of one (or two!!) of the top agency’s finest escorts. What could be better than fine wining and dining together with a local expert who really knows how to get the most out of the city and enjoy the finer things in life?
Located in the Mediterranean Foods section, the Gourmet Olive Oil Bar brings together over 100 top brands of Spanish olive oil. It’s a tasting zone where visitors can sample the very finest olive oils including a growing number of premium oils. As such, it is testament to the excellent health of the Spanish olive oil sector.
Overall then, this year’s Alimentaria promises to be every bit as good as its illustrious predecessors, fully deserving its place as one of the top Barcelona fairs. Don’t miss it!
Enjoy Barcelona after your congress