Ibiza BPM Radio returns to Madrid Fusión to tell, once again, the story of the gastronomy of the future For the fourth consecutive year, Ibiza BPM has been present at Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España, the most important gastronomic event in the world. This is a privilege that we enjoy with great enthusiasm and that makes us especially happy because it allows us to share these unique moments with our listeners and followers, who are an essential part of our community.
At Ibiza BPM Radio, we continue to reaffirm our commitment as a leading media outlet in gastronomy and tourism, bringing our audience the trends, ideas and protagonists that are shaping the present and future of the sector at an international level.
In this context, Madrid Fusión once again became the epicentre of culinary innovation with the opening of Dreams#SpainFoodTechNation, the most disruptive forum of the congress, dedicated to exploring the relationship between food, technology, sustainability and new ways of understanding the gastronomic experience.
Madrid Fusión opens Dreams#SpainFoodTechNation, the forum where innovation shapes the future of gastronomy Yesterday, for the third consecutive year, Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España inaugurated Dreams#SpainFoodTechNation, the most innovative space at the congress, dedicated to exploring the future of food and gastronomy through innovation, technology and sustainability.
The welcome ceremony was attended by Benjamín Lana, managing director of Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España; Toni Massanés, director of the Alícia Foundation and coordinator of the space; and Elisa Carbonell, CEO of ICEX, the forum's main sponsor since its creation.
During her speech, Carbonell stressed that ‘innovation is the only way to tackle the great challenges facing humanity, such as health and sustainability,’ recalling that ‘eating is not a mere formality’ and that Spain must continue to focus on foodtech in order to maintain its international leadership.
Home cooking: quality, trust and technology
The day began with a round table discussion focused on the evolution of home cooking. Laura Gil, from WorldPanel by Numerator, pointed out that ‘more than 98% of households consume prepared food’, a market that is growing at twice the rate and whose main challenge is to generate confidence in the face of homemade products.
For Raúl Martín, CEO of Familia Martínez, the key is to offer quality food that is also simple and tasty:‘If it's not good, nobody will buy it. The industry must combine quality and convenience by relying on technology.’
For his part, Manuel Delgado, strategic head of Interior Design at IKEA in Spain, explained that the kitchen has not only not disappeared, but has become the heart of the home: By integrating into the living room, it is transformed into a multifunctional space for well-being and emotions,’ where home automation, sustainability and the warmth of materials stand out.
The restaurant business, examined from the Sapiens methodology
The afternoon of Dreams#SpainFoodTechNation was marked by the excitement generated by the presence of Ferran Adrià, alongside Lluís García and Ferran Centelles, representing the elBulli Foundation.
Using the Sapiens methodology, they analysed the economic and operational challenges facing the restaurant industry today. Adrià issued a clear warning:
In Spain, there are 3,000 gastronomic restaurants, which would require more than 54 million customers to fill them. The failure rate is worrying and is almost always due to a lack of a business plan and management control.’For the chef, it is essential to visualise the business holistically and communicate what is being done correctly.
Day two: produce, sustainability and big names
The second day of Madrid Fusión continued to focus on the diner, without neglecting key trends such as produce-based cuisine, green cuisine and the revival of offal. Among the protagonists were chefs such as Aitor Zabala, Akrame Benallal, Ricard Camarena and Bas van Kranen.
In a round table discussion on the sustainability of the gastronomic business, Israel Ramírez (Saddle*) and chefs Ricard Camarena, Quique Dacosta and Nandu Jubany debated the crisis in the sector and the regulations that hinder its development. Dacosta called for a ‘direct interlocutor’ to protect what gastronomy represents as cultural heritage and a Spanish brand.
Gastronomy as art, identity and territory from a more artistic perspective, French-Algerian chef Akrame Benallal defended the influence of fashion and aesthetics in his cuisine:‘I like aesthetics to serve cuisine, and not the other way around.’
The international perspective continued with Bas van Kranen (Flore**, Amsterdam), who championed the defence of ecosystems and local produce:
‘We start with the ingredients, research them and then create the dish.’
There was also room for reinterpreted tradition from chefs such as Tomohiko Kuchiiwa (Japan), Mano Thevar (Singapore) and Rafa Costa e Silva (Brazil), in an edition that featured Rio de Janeiro as the International Guest Destination.
Aitor Zabala and creative freedom From Los Angeles, chef Aitor Zabala shared his experience at the helm of Somni, a restaurant that has earned three Michelin stars in just a few months. For Zabala, ‘cooking is deciding,’ and not having a fixed concept is a creative strength, not a weakness.
Artificial intelligence comes to the world of wine
The conference also explored the role of technology in oenology. At The Wine Edition – Wines from Spain, sommelier Mario Ayllón competed with Artificial Intelligence in an original pairing test.
For Emilio Suárez (Jarana), a gastronomic entrepreneur, the conclusion is clear:“AI is a complementary tool. If we manage to create synergy with it, we will improve our productivity.”
As you can see in all areas of our lives, AI is here to stay, so why not let it make our lives easier? .
