SPAIN ’ S JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNERS
With the most James Beard Award Winners in 2023 , Spain has got serious bragging rights when it comes to fine dining . In fact , you ’ ll find that few countries can hold a candle to them — they nearly swept the podium with the No . 2 , 3 and 4 spots , plus landed three more in the Top 50 .
Disfrutar ( No . 2 , in Barcelona ) “ Play ” is at the heart of every meal , as the highly experimental tasting menu emphasizes Mediterranean seafood in wholly innovative configurations . Come for the caviar-filled Panchino doughnut , stay for the frozen gazpacho sandwich .
Shrimp Paella
DiverXO ( No . 3 , in Madrid ) This is avant-garde made edible ; theater projected onto your taste buds . The tasting menu takes you for a roller-coaster ride — pigeon pairs with sherry , Japanese paella astounds and roasted caviar sits atop a bed of vindaloo curry and Greek yogurt .
Thank the Moors
So much overlap between the two countries can be boiled down to the Moors ’ presence on the Iberian peninsula between the 7 th and 12 th centuries . “ The Moors ” is the colloquial term for the Muslim people of Arabic or African descent at the time ; they brought with them all kinds of exciting new ingredients , cooking techniques and appreciation for the craft of cooking . It was the Moors who introduced citrus ; the techniques of deep-frying and charcoal grilling ; and the staple ingredient of rice . Can you imagine paella — with its ever-fabled socarrat — without any rice ? Or sardinhas assadas , if they were never quintessentially grilled ? Why , even the peninsula ’ s passion for jamón can inadvertently be tied back to the Moors : The Christians of the time insisted on eating it as a source of anti-Moorish pride . The traces of Moorish influence can be found in nearly every bite of every meal today . �
Asador Etxebarri ( No . 4 , in Atxondo ) The magic of Asador Etxebarri is more than the serene mountain setting ; a kind of culinary alchemy happens here . With just a touch of fire , ingredients are elevated to a holy experience . For example : Order the Palamós prawn , and it ’ ll arrive on a plate by itself , simply grilled and nothing more . It ’ ll likely be the best prawn you ever eat — the same can be said for the entire menu here .
LUXURY TRAVEL 2024 57