The Sukaldean Sortzaile culinary contest is back, aiming to bring together young and old
Ausolan, through its Educational Project, and the BCC Culinary Club—a branch of the Basque Culinary Center dedicated to fostering culinary culture among food enthusiasts—launched the sixth edition of Sukaldean Sortzaile. This culinary contest invites young people to create video recipes inspired by traditional dishes from their homes. Following the success of the previous edition, which saw over 200 children participate with 70 video recipes, this initiative—part of Ausolan's Educational Project—seeks to make the school cafeteria a space for comprehensive education, "reminding us of the importance of gastronomy in our culture and encouraging young people to develop healthy recipes inspired by classic dishes from their grandparents," says Ausolan.
The Sukaldean Sortzaile contest, taking place during the first trimester of the school year, is aimed at students aged 12 to 17 from schools in the Basque Country and Navarra. This initiative seeks to "promote healthy habits and spend more time with our elders, a natural source of knowledge and good practices," states the team behind Ausolan's Educational Project in the Basque Country. The initiative aims to teach students from an early age about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, fostering affection, respect, and solidarity, as well as responding to social and cultural needs. The BCC Culinary Club highlights that "Sukaldean Sortzaile is a project that values the transmission of culinary traditions from grandparents to grandchildren, challenging young participants to apply their creativity to create a modern gastronomic proposal."
Contest Timeline and Selection of Finalists
The contest opens today and will accept submissions until November 4 via the Sukaldean Sortzaile website. "Schools will have the chance to create teams to rework a recipe from their grandparents, record a video explaining the origin of the recipe, why they chose it, the steps to make it, and the utensils used. Additionally, they’ll need to present the finished dish," explains Ausolan. After the submission period, a preliminary selection will be based on the videos that receive the most "Likes" from the public on YouTube. The second phase will be held in schools, where they will vote for the video they like most from their region. Next, a committee of experts from BCC Culinary Club and Ausolan will select the finalist videos from each province. Finally, the finalists will attend the contest's final gala on December 13 at the Basque Culinary Center, where the winning groups will be announced.
With this initiative, Ausolan and BCC Culinary Club aim to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Health and Well-being. "We aim to educate—starting from a young age—on the importance of designing varied and balanced menus with a selection of local ingredients, ensuring that dish preparation and work methods are environmentally sustainable," concludes the team behind Ausolan's Educational Project. Ausolan and Basque Culinary Center began their collaboration in 2019, since developing several projects to create new high-quality, healthy, safe, sustainable, and flavorful culinary offerings for the collective catering sector.
About Grupo Ausolan
Ausolan is a 100% nationally owned company, leading in catering and comprehensive cleaning services for collectives. With over 50 years of history, it has integrated various local projects, maintaining a close relationship with clients and respect for local customs. Ausolan’s value lies in its socio-business project, which, inspired by cooperative values, promotes the development and participation of those involved, generating enthusiasm and commitment. With a workforce of over 11,000, it serves more than 260,000 meals daily, has over 2,100 clients, and achieved a turnover of 239 million euros in 2022.