The 'green chefs' reclaim vegetables: "Good food is not just seafood or meat"

Chefs specializing in vegetable dishes champion the value of vegetables within the framework of the new edition of the Gastronomic Route by Ametller Origen. For the chef of Al Grano Bistro, Gabrielle Milani, it is important to keep in mind that "good food is not just seafood, meat, or noble products," but vegetables also play a prominent role. In his opinion, the biggest challenge when attracting diners to vegetable-specialized restaurants is to make people understand that vegetables can also provide gastronomic pleasure, and that this is not only obtained with luxury ingredients. And although there is still no majority awareness of this value of vegetables, it is something the chef deeply desires. "Many vegan people eat products that are not healthy at all," he laments.

Furthermore, he emphasizes that vegetables are the ingredients that best reflect the four seasons of the year, and that is why he uses vegetables all year round and is convinced that it is a food full of future. "Over time, in all areas of gastronomy, we will have to adapt to the change in consumer eating habits and to what the earth offers us," he considers. For the chef, it is necessary to return to the cooking of many years ago, "what was known as going around the market," he says. In his opinion, vegetables can be the protagonists of gastronomic routes like the one now proposed by Ametller Origen because "they occupy an important part in today's kitchens." For this route, his preferred products are the seasonal white asparagus from Navarra, "with their distinct and creamy taste" that must be fully enjoyed and that, fortunately, coincides with the four weeks in which the gastronomic event takes place. In fact, the chef recommends all seasonal products at Ametller Origen: "We respect what the earth naturally offers us," he jokes, pointing out that it is difficult to choose, because each month there is something different.

For his part, the renowned chef Rodrigo de la Calle, from the Virens restaurant (award for best revelation restaurant of the year and 18th in the We're Smart World ranking), highlights that anything that promotes the consumption of fruits and vegetables in Spain seems "great" to him. However, he laments that "sadly, the consumption of fruits and vegetables among those under 30 years old decreases year after year and it is necessary to change it," a goal for which the chef is "delighted" to do his part.

Regarding his participation in the route, his childhood experience has a lot to do with it when, together with his parents, he already frequented several gastronomic routes in his surroundings. "I dedicate myself to cooking thanks to my parents, as they are the ones who instilled in me the love and respect for cooking," explains De la Calle. In addition, he assures that what he likes most in this life is eating and, in his work, making others happy. In his opinion, when it comes to eating better and healthier, he believes that there are very few initiatives that promote healthy eating. "Most gastronomic routes are not too green, so this one has double value", he concludes.

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A route to eat a lot of vegetables

Ametller Origen promotes this year's first edition of its Gastronomic Route to promote and encourage the consumption of fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables with five renowned restaurants in Catalonia. Specifically, this five-stop route will pass for a month through recognized restaurants in this area: Virens, AlGrano Bistro, Belbo Terrenal, Bistró Mató and Hard Rock, led by chefs Rodrigo de la Calle, Gabriele Milani, Alberto Vicente, Abel Jiménez and Jordi Conesa, respectively.

This spring edition of the route will be held until May 14 and will offer participants fixed-price menus between 20 and 35 euros. This event aims to have four editions this 2023, with other routes in June (with different hotels), at the end of summer, and at the end of autumn. The objective is for diners to value the fact of trying fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables gastronomically prepared. All product selection comes from Ametller Origen fields which, in addition to retail sales in stores such as those in Numància, Via Augusta and Calvet, is also a prominent supplier of fresh vegetables for important restaurants in Catalonia through its Ametller Origen Gastronomia division.