We Are Facefood Ibiza
On March 13, the gardens of Agroturismo Atzaró once again became the hub of the culinary sector in the Balearic Islands. The eighth edition of We Are Facefood Ibiza closed its doors, confirming its resounding success and reaffirming the island’s status as an essential strategic platform for the culinary, business, and institutional elite. With unbeatable weather and the sun shining all day long, the event unfolded in an unparalleled atmosphere of professional networking, where business deals were closed at the same pace as discussions about the industry’s future.
If this edition stood out for one thing, it was the depth of its content. One of the most anticipated moments took place during the major debate on the responsibility of haute cuisine. Four undisputed leaders—Óscar Molina (La Gaia, Ibiza Gran Hotel), Álvaro Sanz (Es Tragón, Insotel Fenicia Prestige Suites & Spa), Andreu Genestra (Rest. Andreu Genestra, Hotel Zoetry Mallorca), and Miguel Navarro (Es Fum, St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort) laid out the reality of the sector, the commitment to the environment, and the challenges involved in maintaining excellence at the highest level of gastronomy.
The lineup of presentations maintained the high standard with other outstanding talks. Aitor Arregui explored the philosophy of the grill and the region from Elkano (Getaria, Guipúzcoa); Nacho Manzano shed light on the contemporary identity of Casa Marcial (Arriondas, Asturias); and Nandu Jubany shared his unmistakable business vision from Can Jubany (Calldetenes, Barcelona). The most technical and disruptive presentation came from the world of pastries: Alexis García, the newly crowned Best Pastry Chef M.M.A.P.E. 2024, gave a master class in haute patisserie supported by Valrhona.
Technique and Product at the Balfegó Showcookings
Live cooking is one of the main attractions of We Are Facefood, and this year the showcooking area drew dozens of professionals. Now a staple of the event, Balfegó hosted an exclusive training session focused on bluefin tuna. With a purely educational focus, four chefs based on the island—Enrico Maimonte (Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay), Aleksandar Todorov (Teyo, OKU Ibiza), Josetxo Arrieta (Blue Marlin Ibiza), and Luis Rodríguez (Lío Ibiza)—demonstrated various culinary techniques for this product.
Premium tastings by Bedrinks
The beverages and spirits segment reached its peak in the premium area managed by the distributor Bedrinks, which became the hub for networking among restaurant managers, bartenders, sommeliers, and spirits enthusiasts. This space hosted guided tastings and highly specialized training sessions.
Attendees were able to immerse themselves in Mexican culture through “Espíritus del Agave,” which divided its program into two parts: on the one hand, a curated tasting and brand recommendations; and on the other, in-depth workshops and tastings. “Espacio Gin Condesa” provided the botanical counterpoint, while the liquid luxury was evident in the tastings organized by Moët Hennessy, expertly led by its Brand Ambassador, Dani Sempere.
A great ecosystem of brands, experiences, and sponsors from the Facefood family
The walk through the Agroturismo Atzaró venue served as a true showcase of premium brands and live cooking, with numerous companies preparing products on-site and transforming the area into a vibrant space. One of the highlights in this regard was the live demonstration by Can Pizza. Attendees were able to see firsthand the preparation of their freshly baked dough, a technical demonstration brought to life by the impressive oven set up in collaboration with Hnos. Meneghello. The seafood and delicatessen sector was strongly represented by brands such as The KingFish, Consuelo & Pardalet, Alaska SeaFood, Neptura, Aquanaria, Corvina Rex, Arctic Crab / Zar Caviar, La Famille Boutrais, Huîtres Poget, Bamberry Foods and Agur. In the section for select meats and Iberian products, Discarlux, Montaraz, and Beef on Food, stood out.
The premium pantry and specialty ingredients stood out, featuring Castillo de Canena, Koppert Cress, Ponthier, Les Sobrassades Xesc Reina, Caviaroli, Sandro Desii, Bamberry Foods, Mammafiore, El Paeller, Sosa Ingredients, Innovachef, and Triticum. In terms of professional equipment, the event featured technology and design from International Cooking Concepts, Josper, Gasifred, and Klimer, as well as technical apparel from Xpepper.
The beverage selection rounded out the experience with an unprecedented lineup: Estrella Damm, Moët Hennessy, Blackzi, Fever-Tree, Gin Le Tribute, Vino & Co, AGUA KMZERO, S.PELLEGRINO & ACQUA PANNA, Vermouth Dos Déus, Sogas Mascaró, D.O. Balearic Islands wines with Bedrinks and Familia Mari Mayans.
All of this behind-the-scenes work, which was essential to the event’s success, was made possible by a strong support network. Starting with the main sponsors: Estrella Damm (official sponsor), Balfegó (co-sponsor), Moët Hennessy, and Bedrinks, along with Porcelanosa, Discarlux, and Aqua Panna & S. Pellegrino.
Institutional backing was once again key to consolidating the event, with support from the Consell d'Eivissa, Ibiza Travel, the Sant Antoni City Council, and the Santa Eulalia City Council. Finally, the circle of strategic partners—Terrenauto, THB Hotels, Caser Seguros, Agroturismo Atzaró, Eivissgarden, Balearik Cargo, Josper, Klimer, Impress—ensured that the logistics, design, and execution of this eighth event were, quite simply, impeccable.
