The special award is personified by Luis Alberto Lera, chef from Lera, designated by his fellow rural chefs mayor.
MADRID, 18 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food has awarded this year's extraordinary "Alimentos de España" prize to the rural chefs' group, in recognition of their outstanding professional, social, and cultural work. It also honors Mahou, Viena Capellanes, and Interporc, among others, who are this year's winners, according to a ministerial order published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
Specifically, the jury recognized that rural chefs represent an "exemplary model" of collaboration between cuisine and territory, as they work "closely" with local producers and highlight local foods.
Furthermore, their activities promote the sustainability of the food system, preserve the gastronomic heritage, and strengthen the rural economic fabric. Their work as part of this group contributes to population consolidation and job creation in underpopulated areas.
In this way, the jury wanted to personify this award in the figure of Luis Alberto Lera, chef and owner of the Lera restaurant in Castroverde de Campos (Zamora). Lera was recognized by his peers as the mayor of rural chefs in April 2024, at the Terrae international rural cuisine congress.
Lera embodies the commitment that all chefs who develop their businesses in rural areas maintain to the region, innovating through tradition and projecting a modern, high-quality image of rural Spain. In 2022, the chef from Zamora received the "Alimentos de España Award for Product Defense" for highlighting Spanish products in his culinary offerings.
This year's award winners include initiatives that promote sustainability, digitalization, internationalization, and rural development, reflecting the diversity and richness of the national food system.
Also recognized in this edition were the beer brand Mahou, which received the award recognizing the Food Industry; Vacum Carnes de Lujo (Valencia); and Panduru Economía Circular (Asturias) for Entrepreneurial Initiative; while the innovation award went to Remolonas Foods (Valladolid).
The award for food internationalization went to Consorcio Español Conservero (Cantabria), while the award for organic production went to Komvida Kombucha (Badajoz) and Interfish España (Pontevedra), which received the award for its fishing and aquaculture production.
Interporc takes the award for promotion, while the restaurant award goes to Viena Capellanes (Madrid), and the Food Waste Reduction initiative goes to the Formació i Treball Foundation (Barcelona). The communication award goes to José María Montero, director of the program Tierra y Mar on Canal Sur TV.
The Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes that these awards recognize excellence, innovation, and commitment among companies, professionals, and groups that contribute to the development and prestige of the Spanish food sector. Created in 1987, they recognize companies and products that stand out for their quality, innovation, and contribution to Spanish gastronomy. This recognition is part of the "The Richest Country in the World" campaign to strengthen Spain's brand as a quality food and gastronomy powerhouse.
