Basque Culinary Center Presents a New Edition of "100 Young Gastronomy Talents" 2024
On May 13th, the members of this new list gather for an intense day at Basque Culinary Center, where they will share their projects, ideas, concerns, and thoughts through various activities and dynamics.
This initiative by Basque Culinary Center emerged in 2020 with the presentation of the first edition of the list. Today, this gastronomic ecosystem where training, innovation, research, and entrepreneurship coexist celebrates and recognizes, for the third time, the work of all those who work daily to generate positive change through gastronomy.
This compilation gathers diverse voices exploring the future of a sector that offers limitless possibilities, with its future lying in the ability to attract, integrate, and leverage the new ideas and visions they bring. Being biennial, the list stems from a selection of profiles made through a prospecting and research process developed for months by the Basque Culinary Center team, which, in this edition, was complemented by nominations via an open web form, allowing anyone in the sector to propose names potentially qualifying for the list.
Thus, the selection of the 100 profiles of 2024 has been formed, available at: [link]. The list members encompass a wide range of sectoral profiles distributed among the following categories: Restaurant, Production, Wine and Beverage Sector, Communication, Startups, Research, Bakery/Pastry, and new professional profiles.
"We are excited to celebrate, once again, the innovation, passion, and commitment of brilliant professionals under 30 who are leaving their mark on the gastronomic sector. We hope this gathering serves to build a community and share projects, ideas, and visions that reflect the breadth and continuous transformation of the sector. From the first edition in 2020 until today, we have witnessed the growth and positive impact that each generation of talent brings to our sector. This list of young talents not only represents the vibrant present of gastronomy but also inspires us to imagine the future and the endless possibilities it offers," says Joxe Mari Aizega, General Director of Basque Culinary Center.
New Approaches, More Diversification
In 2024, a trend observed in the 2022 edition is confirmed and reinforced: the growing variety of profiles that the new generation of gastronomy encompasses in their professional activities and businesses.
The third edition of the "100 Young Gastronomy Talents" list shows a significant change in the gastronomic sector. Compared to previous editions, there is a decrease in the weight of profiles working within restaurant businesses, accompanied by a notable diversification of profiles. Additionally, current gastronomic trends and concepts such as "zero waste," fermentation, "plant-based" cuisine and alternative proteins, circular economy, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and, of course, sustainability, are highlighted, along with the emphasized importance of dissemination and research in the sector.
Moreover, alongside a predominant bistro model and a clear trend towards a cuisine rooted in the territory —its pantry and with a reinterpreted local recipe book—, innovative concepts such as a pizzeria, a grill, a sandwich shop, a hamburger joint —even with food trucks and delivery—, an izakaya, or a lunch bar in an industrial park are emerging.
Restaurant profiles account for just over a third of the list (33%), while in previous editions, they weighed over 50%. In 2024, this restaurant block is divided among 13 restaurants opened by entrepreneurs, 5 family businesses spanning multiple generations, and 15 employees, mostly from teams of Michelin-starred establishments and Spanish restaurants on 'The World's 50 Best Restaurants' list. This percentage is confined to the more 'classic' functions of kitchen and dining room in restaurant teams, positions that increasingly need to be complemented with other profiles, such as those related to sommelier and pastry, as well as new scientific, management, or design roles. Moreover, it is evident that young professionals in the sector are exploring new activities or even reviving nearly extinct artisanal crafts, especially linked to agriculture, livestock, and fishing, but also to the production of bread, cheese, or ceramics, among other activities.
The rest of the list is distributed among pastry and bakery (9%) —with the curiosity that several young pastry chefs from high-end establishments such as El Celler de Can Roca, DiverXO, Bardal, or Desde 1911 are included—; producers (8%) —farmers, breeders, and fishermen—; wine sector (14%) —winemakers, viticulturists, oenologists, producers of new beverages, sommeliers, and cocktail makers— or startups (8%).
"New Professional Profiles" is a category that stands out with a weight of 14% of the 100 Young Gastronomy Talents; it comprises a varied range of trades, perhaps increasingly attractive to new generations, while confirming the ability of some under-30 profiles to innovate: from catering, design, specialty coffee, ceramics, or tableware, to consultancy, management functions —economic, business, financial, quality, or sustainability—, and market analysis, both within restaurants and in companies in the gastronomic industry.
Gastronomic Dissemination and Communication
A couple of more categories deserve special attention for representing the increasingly multidisciplinary vision of gastronomy and its potential professional outlets. On the one hand, dissemination and communication, with a weight of 7%, encompass TikTokers, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and Podcasters who confirm the growing importance of modern channels to showcase gastronomy with direct, simple, and 'democratized' language.
Regarding research (7%), it emphasizes the immense potential that today's link between science and gastronomy represents, even with scientific roles already integrated within the teams of major restaurants, such as Noma, Aponiente, or Estimar.
On the other hand, over 50% of the selected young professionals opt for entrepreneurship, reflecting an innovative drive in the sector, with a significant representation of projects led by women. Likewise, the continuity in the management of family businesses by new generations is highlighted.
Demographic Aspects of the List
In terms of gender, 57% of the list are men and 43% are women. From a geographical perspective, all autonomous communities are represented in the list by the location of the businesses where the selected young people work, with Catalonia being the community with the highest weight (20%), followed closely by the Basque Country, with a weight of 19%, and by the Community of Madrid, with 18%. Additionally, there are 3 young people working in businesses located outside of Spain (Denmark, Singapore, and the United States). Another noteworthy fact is that 27% of the 100 Young Gastronomy Talents list are Basque Culinary Center alumni, meaning professionals who have received training at the center.
Based on this wide range of profiles, the 2024 edition of the "100 Young Gastronomy Talents" list could be considered both a snapshot of the new generation of the gastronomic sector and an approximate portrait of the profiles destined to shape the future of gastronomy in Spain and even reinvent it.
It is worth noting that the "100 Young Gastronomy Talents" lists for 2020 and 2022 portrayed the potential of the youngest generation of gastronomy, with names that have subsequently demonstrated their projection through recognitions, professional promotions, or the launch of major projects of their own.
An Encounter to Connect Talent
The members of the list come together today for an event where they will share their experiences and engage in dialogue, alongside members from the 2020 and 2022 lists. They will do so through various activities, analyzing the concerns and opportunities in the sector, new trends, the role of technology and digitalization, and how to face a sector that is constantly evolving. 100 voices, perspectives, and stories will take center stage in an event that will focus on individuals under 30 who are revolutionizing the gastronomic sector.
Who dares to start a business under 30? How has the sweet world evolved in today's gastronomy? What are the profiles of those exercising the new professional roles in gastronomy? What are the objectives and aspirations of the new generations? What do they want to change? The 100 young gastronomy talents will gather at Basque Culinary Center to enjoy and participate in an intense day of content where they themselves, their projects, their ideas, and their visions will be the protagonists.
Through talks, dialogues, culinary demonstrations, and workshops, members of the selection will show us how the ideas of the future are cooked, what motivates them to undertake and develop innovative ideas for successful new businesses, such as reclaiming nearly abandoned artisanal professions, how they propose a new dining format, the new consumption trends, or how the sector is changing in a digital context.
Additionally, the event will conclude with a gala at the Prisma de Tabakalera (Donostia-San Sebastián) and the presentation of an award to the 100 young promises who will lead the gastronomic sector in the coming years.
The "100 Young Gastronomy Talents" initiative has been carried out thanks to the support of AgroBank, Alta Expresión de los Pedroches, Lavazza, Mahou San Miguel, and Martiko, main partners of the event, and sponsors Araven and Arcos, whose contribution to this initiative is fundamental for the visibility work of the new gastronomic talents.
Their participation during the event with different actions that will allow the attendees to get to know these brands firsthand is noteworthy. Alta Expresión de los Pedroches will welcome guests to the cocktail with a sensory tunnel that will transport them to a unique setting, the Dehesa. Meanwhile, Lavazza and AgroBank will offer workshops; the Italian brand, with Tommaso Zoboli, Best Italian Chef under 30 and owner of the Patrizia restaurant, will highlight the importance of coffee culture in gastronomy. AgroBank, through a creative dynamic and culinary demonstration, will show the impact of the primary sector on gastronomy.
In the evening, at the Prisma de Tabakalera, Martiko will set up a GastroMarket at LABe Restaurant where guests can taste some of its products, and Mahou San Miguel will conclude with an exclusive party where creativity, young talent, and beer will take center stage.
NOTES:
The spirit with which the list is formed is based on the identification of young professionals who are standing out in their respective areas, whether through innovation, assuming a relevant role within an organization, presenting certain professional projection in it, having received some recognition, or making some interesting or disruptive contribution to the sector.
To be part of the list, Basque Culinary Center decided to maintain the same criteria applied in the 2020 and 2022 editions, so young people must be a maximum of 30 years old at the end of 2023 (they can turn 31 within 2024).