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How does one define high-quality, authentic Spanish cuisine?
Home to some of Europe’s most diverse produce and vast array of epicurean delicacies, Spain is a melting pot of gastronomy delights. Anyone who has travelled there would know just how important the role of food plays in the country’s culture. And lucky for us, there’s just so many options for good Spanish cuisine here in Singapore.
The real question is, if you’re not in the know, how does one define high-quality, authentic Spanish cuisine? To guide us along, the Spain Trade and Investment Agency (ICEX) has set up a Restaurants of Spain Certification to recognise restaurants outside of Spain who can best present themselves as global ambassadors of Spanish cuisine.
A joint committee that analyses and validates the restaurants – based on objectivity, traceability and transparency -- is made up of official institutions and sectoral associations strongly linked to gastronomy. They include the Royal Academy of Gastronomy, Ministry of Agriculture, FACYRE, Regulatory Council for Sherry Wines, ANFACO, INTERPORC, the Spanish Wine Federation, REPSOL Guide and the Ministry of Tourism of Castilla La Mancha.
To meet the certificate’s criteria, staff must be able to explain the restaurant concept and its main dishes, and the chef must be qualified to cook Spanish food. When it comes to the menu, there must be a predominance of Spanish recipes featuring protected ingredients, which can only legally be produced in Spain. This ensures that only restaurants which are a true representation of the cuisine are recognised.
Set up in 2020, the certification program is practised in various parts of Europe, like Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland Belgium and United Kingdom, as well as China and Japan. Singapore was the first country in Asia to dish out certificates in 2021. In the past year, 15 Spanish restaurants have been awarded, which include mid-to fine dining establishments like Asador, Binomio, Esquina, the FOC group, Gaig, Kulto, Next Door Spanish Café, Olivia Restaurant & Lounge, Pura Brasa, Tapas,24, Tapas Club group, and UNA at The Alkaff Mansion.
With its meteoric rise in popularity, Spanish cuisine is taking off in a big way all over the world with more and more restaurant openings. For the not-so-discerning, the Restaurants from Spain Certification is an incredibly useful tool for customers looking for authenticity and quality. For industry folk, having a certificate by ICEX also means receiving on-going support from the Spanish government, from training programmes to meeting suppliers.
To shed light on the criteria and eligibility of the Restaurants of Spain certification, as well as share plans for Spain’s National Day celebrations this month, Antonio Garcia, Economic and Trade Counsellor from the Spanish Embassy in Singapore, speaks with Options here.
What exactly is Spanish cuisine?
Spain is synonymous with passion in the international imagination. This passion can be seen in its hospitable lifestyle, the openness of its people, the warmth of its welcome or the value it places on friendship. From its best-known cultural manifestations - its music, its architecture and its gastronomy - everything about Spain is alluring. This allure in gastronomy includes passion for quality, passion for work and the commitment it represents, passion for caring for our suffering planet, and passion for living unique experiences with remarkable products.
Spanish food is incredibly varied, the first recipes were written in the fourteenth century and the cuisine was in turns enriched by the Moors, Arabs, Sephardic Jews, French and Italians, as well as the voyages of discovery to the New World, which resulted in a huge range of new ingredients. These things, combined with the differences across the country in terms of geography, culture and climate, have led to a diverse cuisine that is hard to generalise about too much.
There are literally thousands of recipes and flavours to experience. Besides such well-known dishes as
tortilla de patatas (potato omelette), paella and the legendary Jamón Serrano (cured ham), various stews, sausages, cheeses, beans and breads all form a key part of the Spanish diet. Spanish desserts and cakes include flans, custards, rice puddings, and the dangerously delicious churros (fried doughnuts dipped in hot chocolate sauce).
How do you explain the rising interest in Spanish food and wines?
New chefs and restaurants in the last 20 years have become extremely popular all over the world as a proof of our long history, culture and traditions together with the best ingredients as an important producer of vegetables, fruits, meat and fish.
Do you have a favourite Spanish dish?
The Cocido Madrileño -- a Madrid style stew.
Why is there a need to promote the Restaurants from Spain Certification program?
The Certification is an instrument for the support and recognition of restaurant initiatives that are focused on cuisine, guaranteeing the level of quality of these establishments. The idea is to establish quality standards and criteria for the consumer who is looking for elevated Spanish cuisine, as well as models that can be followed by restaurateurs who may wish to offer our cuisine in other parts of the world. The Spanish government wants to provide an assurance to foreign consumers about the quality and authenticity of Spanish gastronomy.
What does the certification program consist of?
The evaluation of a concept such as “authentic quality Spanish cuisine” is not an easy task, nor is it exempt from debate. For this reason, we have used technical criteria inspired by auditing methods and quality Certifications applying the principles of objectivity, verification, practicality and transparency. It is an annual review of the background of chefs, recipes, ingredients and marketing to verify they are genuine and representative of actual Spanish gastronomy.
What will this certification mean for the restaurants?
A guarantee to their customers about its quality and Spanish authenticity. As an awardee, there are many benefits to the certification. It helps to promote greater knowledge of the restaurant and boost occupation rates; provide access to producers so they can extend their offer of Spanish products; extend greater skills attainment for the service crew from culinary workshops to sommelier classes; and offer the restaurant greater visibility through various media channels and publications.
It's Spain’s National Day on Oct 12. How are you celebrating it?
The Embassy of Spain and Spain Tourism Board have partnered with Gardens by the Bay in a month-long celebration, which captures the spirit and passion of Spain through a garden display of Andalusian blooms such as sunflowers, olive trees, and popular Spanish garden blooms like pelargonium and petunias. There will also be a representation of Sevilla and Cordoba historical monuments, and flamenco dance to capture the Spanish flavour of the festivities.
Singapore’s Certified “Restaurants from Spain”
Asador
Binomio
Esquina
FOC Restaurant
FOC Sentosa
Gaig
Kulto
Next Door Spanish Café
Olivia Restaurant & Lounge
Pura Brasa
Tapas,24
Tapas Club Jewel
Tapas Club Orchard Central
Tapas Club VivoCity
UNA at The Alkaff Mansion
PHOTOS: Embassy of Spain in Singapore
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