CITY FOCUS
The museum, designed
by architect Frank Gehry and built on a former industrial wharf, opened in 1997 and fired a starting gun for the redevelopment of the city, taking it from black and white to technicolor. Today, 25 years on, the museum is visited by travellers from all over the world who enjoy a superb local dining scene alongside the art in the iconic building. Nerua, the restaurant housed in the Guggenheim is among Bilbao’s top dining destinations and overseen by chef Josean Alija. Two decades later, 21 years to be precise, the arrival of the high-profile annual celebration announcing The World’s 50 Best Restaurants arguably marked a before and after for Bilbao. At the time local chef Álvaro Garrido described the event as important. “It was an opportunity for the whole world of gastronomy to get to know, not just Bilbao but the entire Basque Country,” he told local leisure publication Bilbaoplan. Garrido's restaurant Mina is among those recognized by Michelin and is situated by the central La Ribera Market – the second most visited tourist attraction after the Guggenheim. He has carved a name for himself on the city’s gastronomic map and is among a generation of chefs who have had the chance to travel the world learning about other cultures and gastronomies, resulting in a menu with influences from all over.
“The first step, or For more go to
fcsi.org
pioneering culinary school, which will launch Europe’s biggest food innovation hub in the years to come.
“It is a unique feature of what happened in the Bilbao and San Sebastián gastronomy axis ... the Basque approach was to share knowledge creation”
maturity stage of the Basque gastronomy revolution was the constellation of Michelin stars on that fragment of the coast of the Bay of Biscay between Bilbao and San Sebastián which, for years, has had one of the largest concentrations of Michelin Stars in the world,” says Alea. But the Basque
gastronomy development didn’t stop with the Michelin stars arriving in Bilbao and beyond. “That is a unique feature of what happened in the Bilbao and San Sebastián gastronomy axis: it continued, the Basque approach was to share knowledge creation, the same spirit that led those chefs to cooperate,” says Alea. This culture of collaboration in 2011 led to the creation of the Basque Culinary Center, now renowned worldwide as a
Collaborative nature “What makes the Basque gastronomy revolution that is taking place in Bilbao and San Sebastián unique is that it is centered, not just on the creation of restaurants but, with a more holistic view, a cooperation between chefs, government, producers, researchers and academics coming together to create and share knowledge, says Alea.” The world’s focus on
San Sebastián remains and outside Spain people often mix up the two cities, says Atxa. “Sometimes people call me and say, ‘I’ll be in your town soon’ and when I ask if they are in Bilbao, they are surprised to find that San Sebastián is not closer,” he says. “We’re actually an hour from San Sebastián, but we are a small region, so we feel very close. This is not a competition with borders and territories.”
It speaks to the cohesive and collaborative nature of the region. If San Sebastián is the Grande Dame of the Basque Country, Bilbao is the star in the ascent, the dynamic upstart. Together the two have shown the world that the Basque Country is a vital gastronomic destination. “We have already proven that, in spite of being small, we have our own voice in the global gastronomy world,” concludes Alea. “Now is the time that this Basque culinary voice speaks again.”
BILBAO FOOD SPECIALTIES: THREE TO TRY Bacalo a la Vizcaina – cod is among the most vital of Bilbao ingredients, plentiful in the waters around the city. It is often served Biscay-style, in a red pepper sauce.
Kokotxas – a delicacy in Bilbao and beyond, the lower part of the hake throat is very often served al pil pil, a garlic and chilli oil-based sauce.
Marmitako – a stew made of bonito, potatoes and other vegetables
And to drink: Txakoli Specific to the Basque Country this is a slightly sparkling dry white wine with a low alcohol content and the perfect accompaniment to seafood and fish. Made with the Hondarrabi Zuri grape variety it is said to have its origins in the early 16th century.
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