The Spanish embassy flew in a two starred Michelin chef and his team to kick-off the ‘Extravaganza Culinary Festival’, an initiative that will run until November 4 to promote Spanish cuisine in Qatar.
Spanish ambassador Belen Alfaro led on Wednesday the inauguration of the gourmet event at the W Doha Hotel to introduce two star Michelin chef Fernando Arellano and his team, chefs Alvaro Fuentes, Daniel Lopez, and Javier de Dios.
Alfaro said W Hotel is hosting until November 4 the Spanish culinary show composed of 2 stars Michelin dinners at the hotel’s ‘pop-up restaurant’, as well as lunch and dinners of paellas at Market Restaurant and tapas at Waham Lounge.
The ambassador said Arellano, who plays a significant role in the internationalisation of the Spanish cuisine around the world, is in charge of the main courses of the Michelin dinner.
Fuentes and Lopez, meanwhile, are in charge of the ‘tapas’, the most representative informal way of eating in Spain, while de Dios brings to this part of the world one of the most popular Spanish dishes – the paella. He is leading the preparation of four types of paellas that diners will enjoy during the four-day festival.
“This culinary festival is a private, but supported by European funds, project that promotes Spanish cuisine around the world. In their journey around most fascinating cities, the Extravaganza gourmet experience comes now to Doha for the first time,” Alfaro said.
She noted that Spain is famous worldwide because of its food and beverage sector, “thanks to the highest benchmark reached by our most prestigious chefs, such as Ferran Adria, Martín Berasategui, Subijana or Arzak, among others”.
Alfaro said: “The embassy of Spain embraced this initiative from the very beginning of the organisation. Our commercial office considers the culinary festival as an important instrument of promoting the Spanish delicatessen products from the demand side.
“Bringing here wonderful dishes prepared by our chefs is the best way to encourage the demand of national products. The Spanish food promotion strategy is also completed from the supply side, participating in exhibitions under the Spanish pavilion, such as Hospitality Qatar next week. The Spanish technology on agriculture production is also contributing to the local manufacturing.”
Alfaro said Wednesday’s festival kick-off was also attended by CEOs from the main distribution companies in Qatar, who facilitate the import and distribution of Spanish products to supermarkets across the country.
“Their collaboration with Spanish manufacturers and their engagement with our excellent quality, but very competitive supply of food and beverage, make them a close partner for the Spanish providers,” Alfaro added.