Home to some of Europe’s most amazing produce and known for its countless specialities, anyone who has ever set foot in Spain knows just how important a role food plays in the country’s broader culture. But the popularity of Spanish food is by no means confined to Spain itself; over the years the cuisine has developed a global reputation and as a result, one no longer has to venture all the way over to Spain to experience truly exceptional takes on the country’s food. However, with so many Spanish restaurants out there now, the difficulty comes in knowing which places actually offer an authentic take on the cuisine. Thanks to the Restaurants from Spain certification, that’s no longer a problem.
Set up in 2020 by ICEX - Spain Trade and Investment (ICEX), the certification is awarded to restaurants outside of Spain that are deemed to be serving top quality Spanish cuisine. While the certification was predominantly launched to benefit those wanting to track down the finest Spanish food around, it also provides a model that can be followed by chefs and restaurateurs around the world wanting to offer Spanish food somewhere new. On top of this, the certification also helps the restaurants who’ve already been awarded it, with the Food and Wines from Spain division of ICEX providing them with ongoing support in the form of various benefits. These include everything from introducing the chefs to Spanish ingredient suppliers to giving them access to ICEX’s range of training schemes.
The big question however, is how does one define high-quality, authentic Spanish cuisine? Those words, after all, mean very different things to different people. That’s why a carefully thought through set of criteria have been put in place by Food and Wines from Spain, to guarantee that only the finest Spanish restaurants across the world are given the Restaurants from Spain certification. These criteria include that the staff must be able to explain the restaurant concept and its main dishes, and the chef, meanwhile, must be qualified to cook Spanish food. When it comes to the menu, there must be a predominance of Spanish recipes featuring protected ingredients, which can only legally be produced in Spain. This ensures that only restaurants which are a true representation of the cuisine are recognised.
Since its creation, a number of both independent restaurants and groups have been recognised by the Restaurants from Spain certification everywhere from India to the US. Here in the UK, there are currently ten groups of restaurants which have been certified including, amongst others, Pizarro restaurants, Ibérica restaurants, Arròs QD, Asador 44 and Curado Bar in Cardiff, and most recently the Barrafina Group and Brindisa. Whilst these all differ in their approach to Spanish food, they all share the same commitment to the cuisine and meet the certification’s strict criteria.