GranaJovenChef semifinal: High culinary quality

They were anxious. They were nervous before they started. Alcampo and Makro helped them arrange the kitchen utensils and organize the ingredients. It can be difficult to adjust to a new kitchen space, especially when you have only two hours to prepare, live, and direct a contest recipe.

The semifinals of GranaJovenChef's culinary contest were held last Monday at the Pilsa Educa, and Yellow facilities. It is organized by IDEAL, the Department of Youth of the Granada City Council and aims at young talent in the kitchen, aged between 18 and 35 years.

Six contestants participated in the penultimate round: Sergio Granados (Juan Carlos Reyes), Jorge Ruiz (Angel Pastor), Francisco Javier Manceras (Nadia Abramova) and Angel Pastor. The challenge was to cook the winning recipes submitted in video format. It should take no more than two hours.

The six semi-finalists completed a food safety factsheet, listing the temperatures and cooking times they were planning to use, before they began to cook. Kiko Cerezuela (Vice President of the Granada Veterinary Association) reviewed the kitchen sets in preparation for the awarding of the Granada Official Veterinary Association Food Safety Award.

Before the contest began, the juries highlighted the ambition of the chefs in their proposals, as well as the selection of products from Granada, such Segureno lamb and Motril shrimp.

The first smells and tastes of fried food infused the Pilsa Educa atmosphere as soon as the contest began. Even though it was mid-afternoon at the time, appetites were piqued and thirst was quenched. The contestants and their companions drank coffee, water, and some of Alhambra beer.

The nerves began to give way to tension as soon as the contestants started to cook. Contestants became very focused and focused once they got started.

Jorge Ruiz Fernandez is a native of La Mamola. He is currently completing a kitchen management internship at Noor Restaurant in Cordoba. The restaurant has two Michelin stars. His recipe includes the Motril shrimp, along with a pickled pea, sand, and veil of Ham.

Jorge said, "It's a Costa Tropical product, where I am from and that I understand well," while Jorge was cooking. I accompany the shrimp with ingredients from both the Granada plain or the Alpujarra. The pickled peas, ham bone broth and veil allow you to see the entire province from your plate. What about the shrimp? "Naturally, then I use the shells and head to make the sand along with the Alfacar bread." A little bit of spirulina is a finishing touch. This algae contributes so much visually and tastefully to any dish.

Francisco Javier Manceras Rodriguez is a Malaga resident who works at the Only YOU Hotel in Malaga's capital. He came here after he had been through the Gran Hotel Miramar.

His dish, broad beans Granada-style, he hopes to "represent the traditional gastronomic cultures of Granada", as well as claiming the importance and significance of kilometer 0. It is a new way to present a traditional dish. The base includes ham consomme, cooked beans, and the bean pod. It includes broad bean spheritications, which give the dish a greater dimension. Modernity and classicism in a technically complex recipe.

Angel Pastor Garrido from Alarique in Granada was the third semi-finalist. His proposal was low-temperature sea bass with corn veloute and yellow pepper.

Angel said, "It's seasonal, I like fish. It was a good choice." Angel prepared a delicious fish stock for the velute. He would then add the corn and all the other ingredients. After he started to cook, his nerves gave way to order, organization, and concentration.

Jurors moved from one kitchen to another, asking questions and looking at the chefs. Rafael Arroyo, president, said that the "nerves were palpable." They are giving their best and very involved in the contest. You can feel the tension in the atmosphere."

What is the best way to see the cooking skills of your cooks? "Very high. "Very high.

Jose Antonio Gutierrez (deputy director of the Youth Area at the Granada City Council), was another juror. He said that GranaJovenChef was "a very pleasant, fun activity, which always leaves you with new sensations." The contest aims to discover, show and highlight the gastronomic talents of young chefs>>. He recalled how the council initiated the contest and that IDEAL was able to help from the beginning. It is a "very significant milestone for the gastronomic section of Granada" and, as a national event it places us on top of Spanish gastronomy with more and more competitors from abroad.

Inmaculada, the director of La Inmaculada Cooking School and GranaJovenChef, stated that the level of competition was high. She has also been a member the jury in five previous editions. She was thrilled to be able to compete in the finals of the contest at La Inmaculada's facilities. It is a luxury to have an entity committed to quality gastronomic initiatives throughout Granada and working with all institutions.

Kiko Cerezuela highlighted, however, the high level of participants from a perspective of food safety. She pointed out that even though they are young, this shows they have experience.

After the allotted time had expired, the contestants presented their dishes to a jury. They chose the following: Juan Carlos Reyes from Malaga who presented a lamb pie with broad bean pionono, asparagus cream, and the Russian based out of Valencia Nadia Abramova who created a complex elaboration using the Segureno Lamb as a base and presented it in various formats. Sergio Granados from Granada, just 18 years old, who presented hake steamed and tarragon with tarragon.

The high quality of the contestants, including their ability to make complex dishes in a short time, was highlighted by the president of the jury. He also highlighted the importance of using products from Granada, and that GranaJovenChef is being presented by more chefs outside of Granada. This demonstrates the popularity of the contest as well as its acceptance at a national level.