Taste-testers are the people in charge of evaluating, through blind tastings, the products chosen to bear the Girona Excel·lent seal. They use their knowledge and experience to determine the quality and calibre of the products.
A total of 41 taste-testers, representing a wide and varied range of professionals from the worlds of agriculture, gastronomy and catering, were invited to take part in the seven tasting sessions of the fourth edition of Girona Excel·lent, which were held between 2nd and 29th March.
At each of the tastings sessions, six prestigious specialists related to each field were invited, with representatives from science, engineering, research, gastronomic journalism, teaching, catering, the world of wine, cooking and the gourmet trade.
The taste-testers were blinded, and various gastronomic parameters were assessed, in other words, the organoleptic qualities of the products: their appearance, aroma, flavour and harmony. For unique products, numerical scores were given and deliberations held.
At all the tables, next to the tasters, were two apples from Girona, a Granny Smith and a Royal Gala. These two apples, along with both the golden and red delicious, are the varieties protected by the PGI Poma de Girona.
Why the Granny Smith and the Royal Gala?
Because, more than any other neutral product, apples are ideal for long tasting sessions, as they cleanse, refresh and regenerate the palate without leaving aromatic residues behind. They combine the powers of water and bread. Perhaps the most restorative would be the Granny Smith, a crisp, tart and watery apple. The Royal Gala, with its whitish, firm and crunchy flesh, is juicy, more aromatic and sweeter.
The water tasting jury.
Enric Pardo
Master brewer of the Can Navarra cooperative and president of the Associació El Tirador
Isaac Batllori Pagès
Specialist and owner of El Birrot
Judit Càrtex Brewer
Commercial director of Cervesa Montseny and vice-president of GECAN
Mariona Vilanova
Professional barista, owner of Nykteri’s Cocktail Bar and Escola Eshob trainer
Bernat Guixé
Doctor in chemistry, from Esperit Roca from El Celler de Can Roca
Clara Antúnez
Nutritionist and sommelier at La Gastronòmica
The rice tasting jury.
Joan Carles Sànchez
Chef owner of Es Portal de Mar, Pals
Lluís Guerrero
IRTA technician
Dani Martínez Felguera
Ars Natura from El Celler de Can Roca
Anna Claret
Doctor in food technology, expert in sensory analysis at IRTA and vice-president of the Asociación Española de Profesionales del Análisis Sensorial (Spanish Association of Sensory Analysis Professionals; AEPAS)
Yun Ju Choi
Head of R&D at El Celler de Can Roca
Martina Puigvert Puigdevall
Head chef at Les Cols
The local drinks tasting jury.
Enric Pardo
Master brewer of the Can Navarra cooperative and president of the Associació El Tirador
Isaac Batllori Pagès
Specialist and owner of El Birrot
Judit Càrtex Brewer
Commercial director of Cervesa Montseny and vice-president of GECAN
Mariona Vilanova
Professional barista, owner of Nykteri’s Cocktail Bar and Escola Eshob trainer
Bernat Guixé
Doctor in chemistry, from Esperit Roca from El Celler de Can Roca
Clara Antúnez
Nutritionist and sommelier at La Gastronòmica
The coffee and infusions tasting jury.
Astrid Van Ginkel
Graduate in pharmacy, with a master’s in biology, and consultant at Fitomon
Clara Antúnez
Nutritionist and sommelier at La Gastronòmica
Nabila El Gamouchi
Barista owner of Nabila Cafè, Olot
Marianna Suárez d’Alessandro
Waitress, barista and maitre d’ at El Celler de Can Roca since 2016
Quimet Cufré
Waiter and barista at El Celler de Can Roca and maitre d’ at the Normal restaurant
Iolanda Bustos
Expert chef in botany and biodynamics, creator of oenogastronomic experiences and natural products
The preserves tasting jury.
Lluís Fernández
Chef and owner of the restaurant Els Pescadors, in Llançà
Merylou Jacas
Chef and owner of the Merylou restaurant in L’Escala
Carme Picas
Head chef at El Ginjoler and teacher at EHT Girona
Pietat Valenzuela
Head chef at Cuina de la Pietat, at Hotel Travé, in Figueres, and former manager of the Cap i Pota restaurant
Alex Carrera Alonso
Chef and partner in the restaurant L’Aliança d’Anglès
Marc Gascons
Chef and owner of the Tinars and Bell-lloc restaurants
The cured meats tasting jury.
Cinto Arnau
Graduate in chemistry, doctor in veterinary medicine and specialist in meat products
Tana Collados
TV3 journalist specialising in cooking and food
Josep Dolcet
Graduate in veterinary medicine and director of the Escola de la Carn, in Barcelona
Anna Claret
Doctor in food technology, expert in sensory analysis at IRTA and vice-president of the Asociación Española de Profesionales del Análisis Sensorial (Spanish Association of Sensory Analysis Professionals; AEPAS)
Xavi Baig
Owner of the specialist La Noucentista shop in Girona
Yolanda Presseguer
Master artisan charcutier and butcher from La Garriga
The dried fruits and nuts tasting jury.
Joan Carles Sànchez
Chef owner of Es Portal de Mar, Pals
Lluís Guerrero
IRTA technician
Dani Martínez Felguera
Ars Natura from El Celler de Can Roca
Anna Claret
Doctor in food technology, expert in sensory analysis at IRTA and vice-president of the Asociación Española de Profesionales del Análisis Sensorial (Spanish Association of Sensory Analysis Professionals; AEPAS)
Yun Ju Choi
Head of R&D at El Celler de Can Roca
Martina Puigvert Puigdevall
Head chef at Les Cols
The foie gras tasting jury.
Joan Carles Sànchez
Chef owner of Es Portal de Mar, Pals
Lluís Guerrero
IRTA technician
Dani Martínez Felguera
Ars Natura from El Celler de Can Roca
Anna Claret
Doctor in food technology, expert in sensory analysis at IRTA and vice-president of the Asociación Española de Profesionales del Análisis Sensorial (Spanish Association of Sensory Analysis Professionals; AEPAS)
Yun Ju Choi
Head of R&D at El Celler de Can Roca
Martina Puigvert Puigdevall
Head chef at Les Cols
The dairy products tasting jury.
Jan Millastre
Organiser of the Fira del Formatge cheese fair in Lladó
Carme Gasull
Journalist and communicator, specialising in gastronomy, and co-founder of the platform gastronomistas.com
Tati Quera
Owner of the specialist shop El Petit Paradís, sommelier for the Escola d’Hostaleria de Girona and the UdG, and cheese expert for IRTA
Marta Garrón
Innovation technician specialising in dairy and cheese at IRTA
Eva Vila Betriu
Specialist and cheese refiner at Vila Viniteca
Joan Morillo
Owner and maitre d’ at the Divinum restaurant
The olive oil tasting jury.
Joan Carles Sànchez
Chef owner of Es Portal de Mar, Pals
Lluís Guerrero
IRTA technician
Dani Martínez Felguera
Ars Natura from El Celler de Can Roca
Anna Claret
Doctor in food technology, expert in sensory analysis at IRTA and vice-president of the Asociación Española de Profesionales del Análisis Sensorial (Spanish Association of Sensory Analysis Professionals; AEPAS)
Yun Ju Choi
Head of R&D at El Celler de Can Roca
Martina Puigvert Puigdevall
Head chef at Les Cols
The honey tasting jury.
Astrid Van Ginkel
Graduate in pharmacy, with a master’s in biology, and consultant at Fitomon
Clara Antúnez
Nutritionist and sommelier at La Gastronòmica
Nabila El Gamouchi
Barista owner of Nabila Cafè, Olot
Marianna Suárez d’Alessandro
Waitress, barista and maitre d’ at El Celler de Can Roca since 2016
Quimet Cufré
Waiter and barista at El Celler de Can Roca and maitre d’ at the Normal restaurant
Iolanda Bustos
Expert chef in botany and biodynamics, creator of oenogastronomic experiences and natural products
The fish tasting jury.
Lluís Fernández
Chef and owner of the restaurant Els Pescadors, in Llançà
Merylou Jacas
Chef and owner of the Merylou restaurant in L’Escala
Carme Picas
Head chef at El Ginjoler and teacher at EHT Girona
Pietat Valenzuela
Head chef at Cuina de la Pietat, at Hotel Travé, in Figueres, and former manager of the Cap i Pota restaurant
Alex Carrera Alonso
Chef and partner in the restaurant L’Aliança d’Anglès
Marc Gascons
Chef and owner of the Tinars and Bell-lloc restaurants
The wines and fortified wines tasting jury.
Anna Vicenç
President of the Associació Catalana de Sommeliers and chief sommelier for Wine Palace stores
Pitu Roca
Wine waiter and owner of El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona
Audrey Doré
Sommelier at El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona
Rafel Sabadí
Graduate in tourism from the UdG, professional sommelier for ESHOB and owner of the Uain wine bar in L’Escala
Natàlia Roig
Sommelier, vice-president of the Associació Catalana de Sommeliers
Clara Antúnez
Nutritionist and sommelier at La Gastronòmica
Toni Gerez
Sommelier at Castell Peralada Restaurant, with many years spent in the restaurants El Bulli and Mas Pau
Cristina Torrent i Cos
Sommelier, co-owner and director of the Bo.TiC restaurant, in Corçà