The speakers include chefs such as Virgilio Martínez and Nacho Manzano, as well as the renowned butcher Dario Cechini

Among the most prominent speakers are major international figures such as Virgilio Martínez, the chef at Central restaurant in Lima, which is currently ranked number one in the world by The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023. There is also the charismatic Dario Cecchini, a famous Italian butcher who has revolutionised the concept of rural gastronomy from his butcher's shop-restaurant in Tuscany. The New York Times named his butcher's shop the best in the world, and he has managed to turn his small village into a tourist destination. He now has restaurants not only in Italy, but also in several other countries. Chef's Table dedicated an episode to him.

Discover Eat 2025 will feature prestigious international experts who will share specific examples of tourism success stories. These include Linsey Gallagher, president and CEO of Visit Napa Valley, who is responsible for the global positioning of this Californian region, as well as Francesco Tapinassi and Clara Svanera. They are the key figures at Toscana Promozione Turistica, the agency responsible for promoting the renowned Italian region as one of the world's most popular gastronomic destinations thanks to its storytelling strategy.

Leading chefs

The conference will also feature prestigious Michelin-starred chefs with international recognition, including Nacho Manzano (Casa Marcial***), David Yárnoz (Molino de Urdániz**), Pedro Sánchez (Bagá*), Enrique Pérez (El Doncel*), Juan Carlos García (Vandelvira*) and Rubén Sánchez Camacho (Epílogo*), Rubén Sánchez Camacho (Epílogo*), Carlos Teixeira (Heredade do Esporão*), Samuel Moreno (Molino de Alcuneza*), Nacho Solana (Solana*) and David Pérez (Ronquillo). These chefs will demonstrate how their gastronomic projects have played a pivotal role in the economic and social revitalisation of their regions.

Experts in gastronomic tourism and territorial development will be in attendance, including Abraham Martín (CMO of Pangea), Fernando Valmaseda (CEO of Grupo RV Edipress and Miradas Viajeras, as well as president of Pueblos Gastronómicos de España), Joaquina Hernández (CEO of Magnus Nature), Gustavo Bassotti (THR Strategic Tourism Advisors) and April Cullom, a luxury gastronomic tourism specialist. , Elise Botiveau (ambassador for the World Food Travel Association in France), Almudena González Gutiérrez de León (researcher at Saxion University in the Netherlands) and Anna Bruno (Italian journalist specialising in gastronomic tourism). They will analyse the current keys to positioning rural destinations as benchmarks in global gastronomic tourism.

Businesspeople from the agri-food sector

Pepe Simón Gámez (CEO of Dehesa Monteros in the Sierra de Ronda) and Rosa Vañó (managing director of Castillo de Canena) will share their vision on how exceptional products can become tourist attractions and economic drivers for rural regions, as well as discussing the importance of public-private partnerships for project development.

Leading figures from the world of wine will include Enrique Valero Quintana (managing director of Abadía Retuerta), Francisco Fernández (CEO of Bodegas Pago de la Jaraba), Juan Vázquez (CEO of Martín Códax) and Santiago Vivanco (owner of Bodegas Vivanco). They will discuss how they have expanded the traditional concept of wine tourism by offering additional experiences to attract new visitors.

Representing the most exclusive form of gastronomic tourism will be Lucía Toro, the general director of the travel agency Nuba. She will share valuable insights on attracting travellers seeking personalised and authentic experiences in exclusive rural settings. Ramón Cobo Zarzo, founder of WoolDreamers, will discuss luxury and defend craftsmanship as an authentic luxury and an essential factor that sets new trends in rural and gastronomic tourism apart.

Institutional representatives

The conference will bring together key figures such as Ana Isabel Fernández Samper (Director General of Tourism for Castilla-La Mancha), Rosa Melchor (President of the Spanish Association of Wine Cities and Wine Routes of Spain, as well as Mayor of Alcázar de San Juan), and Jesús Ramón Ochoa (President of the Alto Asón Association of Municipalities, and Mayor of Ruesga in Cantabria).

The digital and technological influence will also be present, with experts including Matija Babić, the creator and CEO of the renowned Taste Atlas portal; Clara Pérez Villalón, a culinary influencer and chef; and Juan Monzón, a consultant specialising in new technologies, augmented reality, and the digital transformation of rural gastronomic tourism. They will reveal how to use these tools to capture the attention of today's gastronomic travellers. Also among the speakers will be Benjamín Lana, director of Madrid Fusión and San Sebastián Gastronomika.