The first semi-final of the Chef and Waiter of the Year Competition 2026-2028 will be held in Roquetas de Mar

The city of Almería will thus kick off the 2026-2028 edition of the Chef of the Year Competition, which this year reaches its eleventh edition, while the Waiter of the Year Competition 2026-2028 celebrates its seventh call.

Roquetas de Mar, venue for the first semi-final of the competitions

The choice of Roquetas de Mar highlights the growing prominence of the province of Almería within the national gastronomic scene. Its agricultural wealth, locally sourced products, and the quality of its restaurants and bars make the town an ideal setting to launch this new edition.

During the semi-final, the contestants will demonstrate their talent, creativity, technical skills, and mastery of the craft live. They will all compete before juries made up of renowned professionals from the gastronomy and hospitality industries. Prestigious chefs, front-of-house specialists, sommeliers, and industry experts will evaluate the participants' work and select those who will advance to the grand final. The composition of the judging panels for the Roquetas de Mar semi-final will be announced soon.

In addition, the program will include competitions, culinary demonstrations, presentations, and other activities aimed at industry professionals. For one day, Roquetas de Mar will become a meeting point for chefs, restaurant staff, producers, companies, and institutions connected to the sector.

Two competitions to recognize talent in the kitchen and the dining room

In the Chef of the Year competition, participants must prepare a complete menu consisting of a starter, main course, and dessert. The contestants will work live and will have a limited time to prepare their dishes. The judges will evaluate aspects such as creativity, technique, flavor, presentation, and use of ingredients.

Meanwhile, participants in the Waiter of the Year competition will face a comprehensive series of tests. These will serve to evaluate their knowledge and skills in areas such as front-of-house service, wine selection, cocktails, coffee, customer service, and the presentation of dishes to diners.

The top three finishers in each competition at the Roquetas de Mar semi-final will secure a place in the grand final, which will be held as part of Alimentaria+Hostelco 2028, from March 20 to 23 at the Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona.

The second semi-final of the competition will take place on March 4, 2027 in Cambrils, Tarragona.

High-level collaborators

In this new edition, Alimentaria+Hostelco, the founding sponsor of the competition, leads the institutional support for the Chef and Waiter of the Year Competition. They also have the support of the Cambrils City Council, Juver, Cirio, Campofrío, Bonduelle, Mahou San Miguel, Café 170, Nocilla, ColaCao, Churchill Tableware, Rafael Salgado Oils, Fuentes Red Tuna, Duni, and Gary's.

Open call for kitchen and dining room professionals

The Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year competitions are biennial events organized by Grupo Caterdata. Both were conceived as sister events designed to promote emerging and established talent in the kitchen and dining room. Since its inception, the Chef of the Year competition has become an important platform for professional development.

More than 70 chefs associated with the competition have subsequently earned Michelin stars in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The winners of the Chef of the Year Competition are: Jordi Cruz (Àbac ***, Angle *, and Atempo *), winner of the first edition; Beatriz Sotelo, of the second; José Carlos Fuentes (Barbudo), of the third; Víctor Manuel Rodrigo (Samsha), of the fourth; Joaquín Baeza Rufete (Baeza & Rufete *), of the fifth; Raúl Resino (Restaurante Raúl Resino *), of the sixth; Álvaro Salazar (Voro **), of the seventh; Cristóbal Muñoz (Ambivium *), of the eighth; Toño Rodríguez (La Era de los Nogales *), of the ninth; and Paula Gutiérrez (Tayta *), winner of the tenth edition held in 2016.

The Waiter of the Year Competition was created to highlight the essential role of front-of-house professionals. The competition recognizes the skills of the maître d', sommelier, bartender, head waiter, and all other staff members who make up the service team of a hospitality establishment. The winners of its six editions have been Beatriz Bravo García in the first; Óscar Quintana in the second; Ángela Marulanda in the third; Mireia Riba in the fourth; Miguel López in the fifth; and Javier Gil, winner of the sixth edition held in March 2016.