cucharón de plata 2026

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Today my friend and neighbour Mariano Gárcia received the Cucharón de Plata (Silver Ladle) award for his “exemplary career and a lifetime dedicated to the hospitality industry”.  It was a very moving ceremony and, typically, Mariano dedicated his award to his family, co-workers and customers…

I have not been, nor am I by any means, the sole author or deserving recipient of this distinction, which, thanks to the prestige of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rural Savings Bank, and the City Council in the person of its Mayor, fills me with satisfaction and pride. Of Cafetería Donald, of Restaurante Donald, of La Hermandad, I am only a co-author, and I say ‘co’ because you have also been, and will be, my wife, my daughters, my parents, my mentor Manolo Ávila, my fellow members of so many beloved brotherhoods, my people in the world of bullfighting, my friends, my gatherings, and everyone else. Without you, Donald would be a ‘simple’ bar and not a home for all those I just named.

More on Mariano and Cafetería Donald coming soon on Bitesize Sevilla.

de lentejas y caviar

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Look what has arrived! My good friend Jorge Guitián has published his first solo book. Congratulations Jorge! Now all I need is for him to come to Sevilla and sign it. 🙂

This essay reflects on how cuisine has become a powerful mirror of societal transformations. It questions issues such as the meaning of haute cuisine, the role of criticism, culinary traditions, and new food dynamics. But it is not only a diagnosis: it is also a poetic and urgent call to reconnect with what is authentic, familiar, and everyday.