Cuina Volcànica, 25 years committed to the cuisine of the Garrotxa

La Garrotxa is a land of volcanoes and valleys, an area with its own geographical and climatic personality, one of the richest regions in so far as products, with a diverse landscape, and this had to be perceived in the elaboration of the dishes. The gastronomic quality and richness of the land had to be shown off. With this idea in mind, the chefs began to search for points in common. It was essential to help the local produce to become well-known, to reassess and promote these products, because they were going to be the ingredients that would define the regional gastronomic identity, that which marks the difference.

Volcanic Cuisine is a consolidated brand. An increasing number of people value good quality products together with hard work. There is more awareness of what the terms ‘sustainable', 'proximity' and 'health' mean, words that we now understand as defining the essence of cuisine. Vegetable gardens, farms, workshops and restaurants have promoted and given added value to these products, at the same time as educating people in taste and textures. This is what Volcanic Cuisine is presently working on.

The future challenges of restaurants in the group are to continue working with local products as the backbone of their cuisine; keep the regional culinary heritage alive; promote La Garrotxa ‘through the hobs', as they have been doing during these years; serving thousands of visitors with the best attention to the products grown in this region, whilst maintaining the successful partnerships: product and gastronomy, producer and chef. Perhaps at first sight they do not seem very ambitious objectives, but this philosophy, this way of perceiving regional cuisine, has been going strong for 25 years now, and is slowly becoming a trend. This means that continual change is not required, but rather the need to keep on working with the same convictions in mind. The number of restaurants that have been part of the group has varied over the years for various reasons; such as generational transfers and changes in concepts, among others. Currently, the group assembles eight restaurants located throughout the region. In Olot, Font Moixina, La Deu and La Quinta Justa restaurants; in Batet de la Serra, Hostal dels Ossos; in Santa Pau, Can Xel; in La Vall d'en Bas, Sant Miquel and L'Hostalet, and in Sant Feliu de Pallerols, Ca la Matilde. Every restaurant, under the Volcanic Cuisine brand, has its own personality.

Throughout the years, the members of the group have participated in numerous promotional activities and have collaborated in events, not only culinary, but also cultural, tourism-based, social and professional conferences, such as: the Vulcanology Congress, El Sismògraf, gastronomic demonstrations at the Palau Moja in Barcelona, the Ecotourism Forum, among many other events. This anniversary will be celebrated with a low key intimate event. A day when present and past members of the current group will come together. They will continue to offer show-cooking activities at specialized product fairs like the Origens Fair or the Sausage Fair of Olot, promoting their work through workshops in cookery schools, attending the specialized press from all over the world and creating their own products, like the beers: La Volcànica and El Llaminer.

As a novelty, on the one hand, special menus will be offered in restaurants to celebrate these 25 years, reintroducing more traditional dishes, and combining these with more modern ones. On the other, meetings and visits will be organized with the producers, learning and debating the path that the group must follow to open up to new trends and more people. In addition, a thematic dinner of Volcanic Cuisine will be organized in Barcelona, in which a restaurant of the city will offer ‘four hands’ show-cooking. Finally, as a main event, there will be a meeting with journalists and influencers organized jointly with the Tourism Board of Costa Brava Pirineu de Girona and Turisme Garrotxa, where a gastronomic experience will be offered so visitors can get a real feel and taste for La Garrotxa’s landscape.