The Best Chef launches Area Talks: a live debate with top chefs, foodies and experts on trends in gastronomy. Barcelona, September 4th, 2019 – On September 24th, 2019, The Best Chef launches the first edition of Area Talks. During this innovative event, top chefs, foodies and experts will engage in dialogue on contemporary trends in gastronomy.

Area Talks: Food for Thought

In addition to the already announced Food Meets Science conference (on Monday, September 23th) and the gala of The Best Chef Awards (on Tuesday evening, September 24th), The Best Chef organizes the discussion panel Area Talks. The brand new event will take place on September 24th, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of Barcelona.

Through discussions on current topics and testimonials from chefs and experts, Area Talks offers a unique behind-the-scenes view on the daily life in the world of gastronomy.

Cristian Gadau, Creative Director at The Best Chef Awards, explains: “We have created Area Talks to bring our community and the new generation of foodies and chefs closer together by getting them involved in the event program of The Best Chef Awards. Discussions on current topics show that

there’s much more to gastronomy than bringing the perfect flavor to the perfect plate. With Area Talks, we want to shed light on for the approach, the motives and the pitfalls that make these top chefs and experts who they are.”

A line-up of inspiring names from various countries and disciplines

​Chef Jonathan Zandbergen, acting as moderator, facilitate the interactive discussions with the guest speakers. The line-up consists of the following speakers and topics:

• Virgilio Martínez of restaurant Central in Lima, Pia León of restaurant Kjolle in Lima and Christophe Hardiquest, chef of Bon Bon in Brussels, talk about the challenge of creating a good work-life balance when running a top restaurant.

• David Muñoz, the contemporary Spanish chef of DiverXO, speaks about contemporary gastronomy and his avant-garde philosophy. In addition, Eckart Witzigmann, the legendary Austrian chef who was the first three-star chef in the German speaking countries, talks about the evolution of gastronomy in the last years.

• Foodies Kristian Thomsen Brask (Bon Vivat), Antonio Coelho (Lasarte) and Anais Cancino (The Wineteller) come to talk about their passion and about food & wine from all over the world. They discuss the role of foodies in the world of gastronomy and the interaction between foodies and top chefs.

• Thomas Bühner (chef of the former La Vie), Henrique Sa Pessoa (chef of Alma and the TV show ‘Ingrediente Secreto’) and Roberto Rossi (chef of Il Silene) will discuss the alternative professional possibilities, in addition to the job of Executive Chef in a restaurant.

• Patricia Dias (Chefs Agency), Floriano Pellegrino (IG: florianopellegrino, brosuniverse, metaprogetto.fun), Luigi Partipilo (Bros’), Daniel Watkins (IG: chefdanielwatkins), Sarah De Hondt and Adriaan Van Looy (Supermoon, Hungry for More), Gregoire Berger (IG: gregoire.ossiano): these international speakers from PR and marketing agencies, as well as chefs will come to explain the importance of good communication in gastronomy.