The Royal Botanical Garden of Alfonso XIII will host the first edition of the Chefs on Fire gastronomic festival in Madrid on October 5 and 6. Some of the most recognized faces of the current gastronomic scene will cook their creations with fire, wood and smoke, directly in front of the attendees.
The first advanced poster includes names such as Janaína Torres, best chef in the world according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Henrique Sá Pessoa (2 Michelin stars), Lucía Freitas (2 Repsol Soles) or Carlos Casillas (1 Michelin star, 1 Michelin Green star and 1 Sol Repsol. In addition, they will enjoy an excellent musical program with artists such as Pájaro Sunrise, La Perra Blanco, Coni Lechner and Ariel Brínguez or Caballo Prieto Azabache.
Chefs on Fire has an absolute commitment to sustainability, with measures such as planting the equivalent of all the firewood consumed or the use of biofuels.
Tickets for the festival are now on sale at www.chefsonfire.es with different options starting at €95.
Lovers of the best gastronomy are in luck. The prestigious international festival Chefs on Fire settles in Madrid. The Royal Botanical Garden of Alfonso
After 6 years of great success in Portugal, Chefs on Fire has established itself as a benchmark in international gastronomic leisure. Last year alone it brought together more than 20,000 attendees and more than 80 chefs and 20 big bands performed in the different versions of the festival in Portugal. And now it begins its international path, with the arrival of Chefs on Fire in Madrid in autumn 2024.
The best gastronomy lights up Madrid
In a return to the origins, Chefs on Fire challenges 20 great figures from the international and national gastronomic scene to leave their comfortable and modern facilities to cook exclusively with fire and wood. Barbecues, grills, bonfires, grills, griddles… all powered by wood and charcoal fires. And, what’s more, everything will be cooked live, for the enjoyment of attendees who will be able to chat with the chefs and learn more about their creations.
The first names confirmed for this Madrid edition of Chefs on Fire include great international chefs such as:
- Janaína Torres of At Casa do Porco – (1 Green Michelin star, São Paulo), recognized as the best chef in the world according to ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’.
- Tekuna Gachechiladzerecognized as the “Queen of Modern Georgian Cuisine” and owner of 5 restaurants in Tblisi (Cafe Littera, Culinarium, Khasheria, Teko’s Tacos and Akura San).
Added to them is the best talent of our national gastronomy, represented by:
- Lucia Freitas of To Tafona (2 Repsol Suns and 1 Michelin star, Santiago de Compostela).
- Javi Estevez of The Tasqueria (1 Sol Repsol and 1 Michelin star, Madrid).
- Carlos Casillas of Mud (1 Sol Repsol, 1 Michelin star and Green Michelin star, Ávila), the youngest chef to get a Michelin star in our country, ‘T de Oro 2023’ and one of the ‘Best New Restaurant 2024’ in Tapas.
- Miguel Carretero of Santerra (1 Sol Repsol and 1 Michelin star, Madrid), awarded as the best ham croquette in the world in Madrid Fusión in 2018 and 2022; ACYRE’24 Award
- Inigo Urrechu of Urrechu, Urrechu Velázquez, The Heaven of Urrechu, To Kangas and Zalacain.
- Juan D’Onofrio of Chispa Bistro (1 Sol Repsol, Madrid).
- Roberto Foronda of Tripea (1 Sol Repsol, Madrid).
- Rafa Panatieri of Sartoria Panatieri and braboselected as one of the ‘Best New Restaurant 2024’ by Tapas.
Additionally, and in collaboration with Portugal Tourism and Cascais Tourism, Some of the most renowned chefs in the Portuguese country will be present at Chefs on Fire:
- Henrique Sá Pessoachef Soul (2 Michelin stars, Lisbon).
- Vasco Coelho Santos of Euskalduna Studio (1 Michelin star, Porto).
- Joao Rodrigues of Canalha (Lisbon).
- Tiago Penao of Kappo and Izakaya (Cascais).
As demonstrated by the selection and diversity of the chefs, festival attendees will obviously be able to enjoy roasts, but also very different dishes, techniques and flavors, from vegetarian to desserts, pizzas or sushi. In the coming weeks, Chefs on Fire will continue to announce new chefs who will join this line-up, which already includes some of the most recognized faces on the current gastronomic scene.
This will not be the only culinary offering at the festival. In addition to the creations of these chefs, 12 large restaurants in Madrid will offer attendees their “ Bites”, some of the most emblematic dishes on their menus that must be reviewed and adapted to be cooked with the essence of the festival: firewood, fire and smoke, live and in the presence of the diners.
The best music, a leading garnish
Throughout the day, the culinary experience of Chefs on Fire will be complemented by the performance of a varied musical program in which they will participate. Pájaro Sunrise, La Perra Blanco, Caballo Prieto Azabache, Coni Lechner and Ariel Brínguez, Pedro Ricardo, Andrea Buenavista, Nola Brand Bass, Macaw Tropical and Jazzin’ Club. These artists, recognized for their ability to merge genres and create unique atmospheres, will fill the Royal Botanical Garden of Alfonso XIII with the best atmosphere and a lot of energy.
Fire talks, a space to learn and share
Chefs on Fire is not just a place to come to eat. It is an experience that attendees can enjoy throughout the day and content will be offered to learn and share on different subjects, on the axes of Chefs on Fire: culture, gastronomy, music, food, sustainability, innovation, etc…
Likewise, the festival includes a specific program for the little ones with workshops focused on food, nutrition, sustainability… and focused on reinforcing their cognitive development and enjoying a Chefs on Fire experience tailored to them.
The most sustainable festival in Europe
Chefs on Fire has set an exhaustive program with more than 50 action points to be recognized as the most sustainable festival in Europe, seeking to minimize the impact of its activity and act as a platform to make visible the possibility and need for a different society.
Among these measures are aspects such as the use of single-use household items, made from recycled materials and respectful of the environment; he upcycling of materials for all the furniture and decoration of the space; the use of local and seasonal foods; the reduction of food waste, with collaborations with NGOs; the replanting of the equivalent of all the firewood consumed in a forest in the city of Madrid; or the use of generators with bio-fuels or photovoltaic energy to complement the consumption of Chefs on Fire.
An incomparable setting: The Royal Botanical Garden of Alfonso XIII
The project for this garden began in 1927 at the request of the monarch, forming part of a rehabilitation project for the entire surroundings of the Complutense University of Madrid. Subsequent works kept the idea alive until 2001 when it was inaugurated in its current state.
The garden has an area of more than 50,000 square meters that houses more than 800 botanical species and offers an unparalleled environment where you can enjoy a day combining gastronomy and music, with multiple spaces where you can rest or dance, meet friends or play with the little ones. .
A party among friends
In the words of Gonçalo Castel-Branco, founder of the festival“Chefs on Fire is a party among friends that has become great for us. We try to maintain a very close spirit and that is why it is not a festival hyper-crowded, but rather a boutique experience. Chefs On Fire It has grown much more than I imagined when I started it. It is one of the great gastronomy events. “It is one of the most important fire events in Europe.”
So much so that the chef Santos Vasco Coelho, from Euskalduna Studiois the fifth time participating. “It is an exciting day. It is an experience in which We leave our comfort zone. Living the place and cooking for so many people is fantastic. It is a very good experience. More and more chefs and people are participating and we are preparing it better and doing different things,” says Coelho.
Speaking of leaving the comfort zone, the chef Miguel Carretero, from Santerra, He also explains that “there are no grills in our kitchens. It is a very good option to get out of the comfort zone and cook with fire and with this type of means. It is a very fun event. Getting out of the comfort zone is something that amuses us.”
For its part, both Roberto Foronda as Javi Estévez, from Tripea and La Tasquería respectively, They also wanted to support this initiative. “Chefs On Fire puts us to the test a little. It is a challenge and it is a test in which we are going to give our best,” explains Foronda, while Estévez comments that “it is a very nice opportunity to do things with the grills. It is a very nice challenge to cook with fire. I personally do not have those means in my restaurant. “It is a very good thing.”
Likewise, the presentation of Chefs on Fire was attended by Councilor for Tourism of the Madrid City Council, Almudena Maíllo del Valle, who has acknowledged that “it is an honor to hold this event in Madrid. They provide added value and, therefore, we are committed to it, it is a unique experience. It will surely become the first edition of many. “In Portugal and Spain we like to enjoy ourselves through gastronomy.”
Tickets now on sale
Tickets go on sale today, Monday, June 3 for Chefs on Fire, with tickets from €95, including access and various dishes and drinks, to enjoy everything that happens at the festival between 12 noon and 12 midnight.
