Fame
Often, it is complex to find out how it arises.
Sometimes unwanted, other times sought after – today especially through the networks. This last type does not interest me, it is usually empty of content and I doubt that it leads anywhere serious apart from filling the pockets of depending on which protagonists and sometimes at any price.
It’s all so absurd that someone ran in the European elections and 800,000 people voted for him (has the Ruiz-Mateos spirit been resurrected?).
The recognition
However, recognition is something else. When someone earns it, moving away from fads, trends and focusing on truths, whether new or old, the whole path they’ve traveled makes sense.
I remember a case at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Amartya Sen, an impeccable gentleman born in India still under the umbrella of the British Empire gave a lecture at the UAB when he was a professor at Harvard. Much of his success came from studies on welfare economics. The room was quite empty. After a while they awarded him the Nobel. MarÃa Antonia Tarazón, from finance, who had organized the conference, reflected on how full the capacity would have been if the conference had been scheduled after the Nobel.
Fame and recognition
Fame and recognition are very different. Now the admired Oriol Castro, Mateu Casañas and Eduard Xatruch del Disfrutar will be able to explain it.
They have been recognized for years, especially in the sector. But now they are getting another factor of popularity since in Las Vegas they were proclaimed the first in the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. I’m sure they will handle it magnificently because they are a trained team and this boom catches them ready.
But if we talk about gastronomic recognition, I have to take my hat off for the brilliant decisions made by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy and Nutrition regarding this year’s awardees, once again.
The ACGN is immersed in a very good dynamic, enjoying a virtuous circle that is reflected in a wise decision, to segment the National Gastronomy Award into two categories, traditional for Paco Solé from 7 Portes and authored by Xavier Pellicer for its namesake restaurant -after being essential in Can Fabes and referring to the ABaC-.
The Empar Moliner – I am enthusiastic about its vitality and the contagious desire to indulge – has been awarded the Néstor Luján Prize for Gastronomic Journalism.
A bagenca from Salelles, Fina Navarro, has been recognized with the Cap de Sala Award for her career at the head of Restaurant Gaig, where she runs the operations in an impeccable manner – what suffocated peas with black sausage and bacon she offered us last time !-.
Where I don’t have the pleasure of having eaten there, but I really want to because of the good references, is Ca la Núria, in Bellver de Cerdanya, where Núria Bonet took home the Revelation Award.
Toni Massanés, director and alma mater of the Alicia Foundation, has received the Special Prize for gastronomic research and teaching, another recognition of an attitude and a way of disseminating the fundamental pillars of things to eat that gives pleasure and allows boast of these brilliant minds of our country.
Prestigious awards that, with Carles Vilarrubà at the head of the ACGN, value and greatly recognize people from our territory.
