Dénia is preparing to host the seventh edition of the D * na Festival, which will be held on September 28 and 29, consolidating this Alicante city as the epicentre of Mediterranean cuisine. Organised by the Dénia Creative City of Gastronomy Foundation and curated by the three-Michelin-starred chef, Quique Dacosta, this event will once again bring together leading chefs, producers and restaurateurs, offering a unique and accessible culinary experience for all audiences.
From its idyllic location facing the sea, on Paseo de la Marineta Cassiana of Dénia, the festival will turn its gaze this year to the countryside to pay tribute to its people and products, authentic pillars of the famous gastronomy of this region. Participants will join together in a culinary tribute to the authentic flavors of the land, celebrating the diversity and high quality of Mediterranean products, especially The Marina Alta.
The list of gastronomic stars will be, once again, one of the great attractions of D*na. Consolidated chefs and young promises of regional cuisine will share the spotlight on the more than one kilometer route that will be installed on the Marineta Cassiana promenade, along with producers, farmers, winegrowers, gastronomic artisans and restaurateurs from the Valencian Community. All of them will bring the public the benefits of the product and cuisine of this privileged Mediterranean region.
Among the first names that have already confirmed their presence at the event, internationally renowned chefs such as Eneko Atxa, Rodrigo de la Calle, Susi Díaz and Vicky Sevilla stand out. They will be joined by other prominent chefs from our country, yet to be revealed.
Eneko Atxa will be one of the great attractions of the festival. The Basque chef has become one of the youngest chefs to achieve the third Michelin star with his restaurant Azurmendi, repeatedly recognized as the most sustainable in the world. His holistic approach and commitment to sustainability and innovation is reflected in every dish, underscoring the importance of valuing local ingredients. At D*na, Eneko will showcase his masterful ability to transform garden produce into a sublime culinary experience, enriching the event with his unique vision of respect for the environment.
Rodrigo de la Calle, the Madrid chef who has revolutionized cuisine with his focus on gastrobotany, will share his proposal of green haute cuisine. From his restaurant El Invernadero (with a Michelin star, a Michelin green star and two soles from the Repsol Guide), he has dignified vegetables, making them absolute protagonists of his dishes. In D * na, Rodrigo will present his pioneering proposals in the recovery of forgotten vegetable varieties and will convey the need to bet on sustainable and ecological cuisine.
Susi Díaz, chef and soul of the La Finca restaurant in Elche (with one Michelin star and two Repsol suns) and one of the most popular chefs in Spain, will represent the essence of Alicante gastronomy at D*na. Her cuisine values seasonal and local products, with respect for the environment and the environment as fundamental ingredients. Susi Díaz will exhibit in Dénia her mastery of transforming local ingredients from the land into gastronomic works of art that combine traditional flavors with the latest trends in international cuisine.
Vicky Sevilla, the youngest woman to achieve a Michelin star in Spain, will bring to the festival the distinctive personal touch that characterizes her restaurant Arrels, in Sagunto (Valencia). "Arrels" means "roots" in Valencian, and it is precisely this concept of rootedness in the territory that defines her proposal. Vicky Sevilla will surprise at the next D*na with her freshness and culinary creativity, demonstrating how she has revolutionized the gastronomic scene with her cuisine based on the product, the territory and memory, using ultra-local and seasonal ingredients to create dishes that evoke memories and celebrate authenticity.
A great festival of Mediterranean gastronomy, open to the public
The seventh edition of the D*na Festival will once again bring together chefs, producers, artisans and restaurateurs to celebrate a great gastronomic festival with visitors. Conceived as an open-air auditorium, the festival will be a space to learn, discover new flavors and culinary sensations. After six successful editions, this event has positioned itself as one of the most recognized gastronomic events nationwide. This year, the festival expands its programming and activities, offering a complete experience that includes presentations on current trends in the sector, live cooking shows and a wide range of workshops for adults and children, where the local product will be the undisputed protagonist.
Throughout the festival route, exhibition stands will be set up where regional producers will show the best products from La Marina Alta: vegetables, sausages, preserves, honey, oils, ice cream, coffee, wines and liquors. Visitors will be able to delight in tasting the delicacies that are made with the excellent raw materials that this region produces, such as vegetables from Arrelats de Parcent, L'Hort de Neli de Pedreguer and Cult-Eco de Pego; Oligarium oil, Woman's Soul Jávea; the sausages from Ca Paquitina de Ondara; VegaDénia preserves; honey from El Serralet de Segaria and Melena; and the famous cokes from Beekery de Dénia, the Coquería de Orba and the Coquería Jordi al Nin de Jesús Pobre. There will also be a notable participation of local wineries, led by Finca Collado de Salinas and Joan de la Casa Viticultor de Benissa, along with other well-known wineries such as Celler les Freses de Jesús Pobre, Carnot Licor de Dénia, Montague of Teulada or La Zafra de Monóvar, among many others.
The stalls selling regional products will share the D*na route with those of renowned restaurateurs from Dénia, who will prepare a selection of tapas based on local products. The public attending D*na will have the opportunity to try the creations of the best restaurants in Dénia, among others, El Raset, Terra de Sabor, Tasty, Prayer, Fire Marine and Nomad; and, of course, an icon of haute cuisine in this city such as Quique Dacosta's restaurant.
This great festival of Mediterranean gastronomy will not miss one of its protagonists: rice. D*na will have rice stalls, where the public can learn about and taste the best rice in the region, prepared by specialists such as The Marine, Miguel Juan and QMCo from Dénia and Casa Pepa from Ondara.
The D*na Festival 2024 promises to be a great celebration and an invitation to explore the richness of La Marina Alta through its most emblematic products. Guided by local producers and the most outstanding chefs in our country, attendees will be able to enjoy a unique experience in one of the great events of the national gastronomic calendar, which will once again place the city of Dénia at the epicenter of Mediterranean gastronomy.
