The cook from Salamanca Paula Gutierrez, of the Víctor Gutiérrez restaurant in Salamanca, was proclaimed winner of the seventh edition of the professional gastronomic competition Chef Balfegó, thus becoming the first woman to win this award. The creations that gave victory to Paula were “Bittersweet Balfegó Lomo, coconut and seaweed marrow consommé”, and “Bloody Royal with bluefin tuna and Balfegó heart”.
Second place in this competition, which rewards the chefs who work and prepare bluefin tuna best, went to the chef Leo Altofrom the restaurant A Spurcacciun-a (Savona, Italy), and in third place was also the Castilian and the Leonese Christophe Munozof Ambivium, located on the Golden Mile of Peñafiel, Valladolid.
The grand final, in which eight chefs from Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and German restaurants participated, took place this Monday at the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, reports Ical. The announcement of the winners, as well as the presentation of the prizes, took place during a gala held at La Estación Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío in Madrid, presented by Carlos Latre and Marina Valdés and attended by more than 400 people.
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Paula studied a Higher Diploma in Cuisine and Hospitality at Leioa Hospitality School (Bilbao). Her experience in haute cuisine began in 2018 at the Atelier Etxanobe restaurant in Bilbao, before working as a cook alongside her father at the Víctor Gutiérrez restaurant in Salamanca, where she worked in two stages.
According to the jury of the competition, made up of chefs such as Martín Berasategui, Toño Pérez, Fina and Ricard Camarena, among other positions and gastronomic critics, Paula obtained the distinction for “its impeccable cooking technique, its originality, its careful presentation and for maintaining the preeminence of tuna red in his creations.
The prizes distributed more than 10,000 euros in cash, a trip to Japan, participation in a short film about the finalist chefs and other important rewards. In addition to the corresponding trophy and a cover of special Japanese knives for cutting fish, the winning chef received 6,000 euros in cash and a trip to Japan for two people. A whole week to discover the gastronomic and cultural richness of the Japanese country.
For his part, the chef ranked second received a prize of 3,000 euros and the third thousand euros, Japanese knives, audiovisual reports, a presence in the best culinary magazines and participation as a speaker at Madrid Fusión.
