krzysztof / Anna Klimaszewski / Piskorz

The 1st Alimentaria International Cooking Competition, sponsored by #alimentosdespaña, will be the first international chefs’ competition held in Spain under the endorsement of WorldChefs. It will take place in Barcelona on 25 March 2026, as part of Alimentaria + Hostelco.

The competition will feature six national teams from Spain, Poland, Portugal, Morocco, Romania, and Azerbaijan, each composed of two chefs (head chef and assistant). Teams will compete by preparing a starter using Aquanaria sea bass and a main course featuring Txogitxu Galician blonde beef striploin, within a total time of three and a half hours.

The jury will consist of four official international judges from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies, who will assess mise en place, hygiene, technique, innovation, service, presentation, and above all flavour and texture, with a maximum score of 100 points.

Teams will compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals, diplomas, and special awards for the best fish dish and the best “Alimentos de España” meat dish, reinforcing the fair’s position as a global benchmark for competitive haute cuisine and high-quality Spanish products.