9th edition · ongoing
Chef Balfegó 2026
European semifinal in Paris and grand final in Madrid on November 30, 2026.
Watch Chef Balfegó 2026European high-cuisine
competition
Chef Balfegó
The professional competition that recognizes the chefs who best handle and prepare Balfegó bluefin tuna.
Latest edition
Chef Balfegó 2026, from Paris to Madrid
In its 9th edition, chefs from across Europe will compete for the title of Chef Balfegó in a grand final that will bring together 8 European finalists and 4 national finalists.
- European Semifinal · Paris · 26.10.2026
- Grand Final · Madrid · 30.11.2026
Latest edition
Chef Balfegó 2026
IX
Le Cordon Bleu Paris · Le Cordon Bleu Madrid
The contest
What is Chef Balfegó?
Chef Balfegó is one of the most important gastronomic competitions in Europe, rewarding the best culinary work created using what is considered the world’s finest bluefin tuna.
Over the course of the various editions, the contestants have demonstrated their deep knowledge of Balfegó bluefin tuna by preparing dishes that present the fish in ways never seen before.
European participants (excluding Spain) compete in a semifinal to earn a spot in the Grand Final in Madrid, where they will join the 4 Spanish contestants who will be selected through an internal process.
The final takes place at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu school in Madrid and concludes with a gala attended by internationally renowned chefs, food journalists, and prominent figures from various professional fields.
In previous editions, chefs from across Spain competed in a final, with a jury presided over by the renowned chef Martín Berasategui (12 Michelin stars), alongside other distinguished chefs such as Quique Dacosta (Quique Dacosta***, Dénia), Fina Puigdevall (Restaurante Les Cols**, Olot), Toño Pérez (Atrio***, Cáceres), and Ricard Camarena (Ricard Camarena**, Valencia).
Awards
A roster of stars
€10,000 in cash, a trip to Japan, Japanese knives, audiovisual features, and other products from our sponsors.
Firstprize
Chef Balfegó Trophy: €6,000 in cash, a gastronomic trip to Japan, and professional audiovisual coverage.
Second prize
Chef Balfegó Trophy and €3,000 in cash.
Third prize
Chef Balfegó trophy and €1,000 in cash.
- IX
- Editions
- 2017
- First edition
- 2
- Dishes per finalist
- +400
- Guests at the gala
Roll of honor
All editions
The podium and finalists for each edition, since 2017. It was not held in 2020, due to the pandemic.
Chef Balfegó 2025
Franz-Josef Unterlechner
Schwarzreiter (Alemania)
Leo Besnard
Le lion d’Or (Suiza)
Athinagoras Kostakos
Nõema (Grecia)
Guillermo Chávez
Amelia** (San Sebastián) Paulo Airaudo Group
Riccardo Radice
FISHØLOGY* (Barcelona)
Angelo Duarte Scirocco
Rte. Brugarol Barcelona (Barcelona).
Piero Aponte Quispe
El Molino de Urdániz** (Urdániz – Navarra).
Andrea de Carlo
Bavarie by Käfer (Alemania)
Berjen Wiling
Ron Gastrobar* (Países Bajos)
Diego Duarte
The Yeatman** (Portugal)
Shaurya Manchanda
L’Atelier des Augustins* (Francia)
Chef Balfegó 2024
Paula Gutiérrez
Víctor Gutiérrez*, Salamanca
Leonardo Viola
A Spurcacciuna, Savona (Italia)
Cristóbal Muñoz
Ambivium*, Peñafiel
Brandon de Bruin
De Kromme Dissel*, Heelsum (Países Bajos)
Pablo Zuazu
Via Veneto*, Barcelona
Rui Silva
Euskalduna Studio*, Oporto (Portugal)
Lander Cornago
Arzak***, San Sebastián
Julio Pizarro
Pizarro Fine Dining, Groß-Gerau (Alemania)
Chef Balfegó 2023
Alberto Montes
Restaurante Atrio***, Cáceres
Aitor López
Restaurante Citrus, Alcanar (Tarragona)
Jaume Marambio
Restaurante Alapar, Barcelona
Adán Cordero
Restaurante Hotel St. Mauro a Luxury Collection, Madrid
Daniel Ávarez
Restaurante Audrey's*, Calpe (Alicante)
Enrico Hirschfeld
Restaurante Schillingshof, Friedland (Alemania)
Rafael Gomes
Restaurante Escama, Oporto (Portugal)
Alessandro Tormolino
Restaurante Sensi*, Amalfi (Italia)
Chef Balfegó 2022
Gianluca Monni
Restaurante La Dispensa de i Balocchi, Piacenza
Ferran Polls Pelaz
Restaurante La Lustra Cocina, Huércal de Almeria
Javier Rico Alvarez
Restaurante El Círculo, Avilés
Maximilian Krämer
Restaurante Scheck-in Kochfabrik, Achern
Rodrigo Vallejo Fernández
Restaurante Aromata, Palma de Mallorca
Asier Escriva Romero
Restaurante Beat*, Calpe
Pola Hany William
Restaurante L'Alkimista, Reus
Miguel Castrisiano Jiménez
Restaurante Jauregibarria, Amorebieta - Etxano
Previous editions
4th Edition · Le Cordon Bleu Madrid
Chef Balfegó 2021
Winner: Alejandro Pérez Polo (Bardal**, Ronda, Málaga)
2nd Ander Hurtado Monasterio (Zarate*, Bilbao) · 3rd Cristóbal Muñoz Ortega (Ambivium*, Peñafiel, Valladolid)
Finalists: Arianna Gatti (Miramonti l'altro**, Concesio, Brescia), Enrique Medina Arnal (Apicius, Valencia), Juan Carlos Reyes Moreno (ABaC***, Barcelona), Lara Rodríguez Díaz (Kraken ArtFood, Gijón) and Rubén Sánchez Camacho (Epílogo, Tomelloso, Ciudad Real).
3rd Edition · Le Cordon Bleu Madrid
Chef Balfegó 2019
Winner: Alejandro Serrano Delgado (Alejandro, Miranda de Ebro)
2nd Pau Castell Sauch (Les Moles*, Ulldecona) · 3rd Claudio Santos da Silva (Angle**, Barcelona)
Finalists: Nazario Cano López (El Rodat*, Jávea), Paco Carrascosa Arévalo (Taberna Puerto Lagasca, Madrid), Mateo García Leiva (ABaC***, Barcelona), Antonio García Lozano (Es Fum*, St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, Palma de Mallorca), and Koichi Kuwabara (Dos Palillos*, Barcelona).
II edition · CETT-UB, Barcelona
Chef Balfegó 2018
Winner: Rafel Muria Franch (Quatre Molins, Cornudella de Montsant)
2nd Toño Rodríguez (Saborea, Biescas) · 3rd Luis Miguel Rodriguez Lorenzo (Els Vents, Alicante)
Finalists: Óscar Salazar Ruano (La Gaia, Ibiza Gran Hotel*****GL, Ibiza), Periko Ortega (Recomiendo, Córdoba), Denis Ortigosa Sola (Rice, Finistrat), Yon Mari Grao Crespo (Real Golf Club, San Sebastián), Mario Amalt Ramírez (El Portal, Alicante), David San Nicolás Navarro (El Chaflán, Alicante), Raúl Roig Sanmartin (Osmosis, Barcelona), Juan Espinosa Pérez (Mas de Cebrián, Puertomingalvo), and Gerard Fabregat Bernabé (Sukomi, Tortosa).
I edition · CETT-UB, Barcelona
Chef Balfegó 2017
Winner: Juan Carlos Reyes Moreno (ABaC***, Barcelona)
2nd: José Manuel López Iglesias (Peix & Brases, Alicante) · 3rd: Rafael Arroyo Martínez (El Claustro, Hotel Palacio Santa Paula, Granada)
Finalists: Carles Polo Campdelacreu (Can Jubany*, Calldetenes), Iñigo Elorriaga Ungo (Boroa*, Etxano), Mikel Joseba Población Unda (Etxanobe*, Bilbao), Jordi Servalls Bonilla (Quatre Molins, Cornudella de Montsant), Victor Pardo (La Bonaigua, Sant Just Desvern), Daniel Garcia (Aboiz, Garai), Álvaro Melero Fajardo (La Huerta Vieja, Laguardia), Mario Amat Ramírez (El Portal, Alicante), and Ria Katharina Jahnke (El Pabellón Florida Retiro, Madrid).
Previous editions
Relive Chef Balfegó
Frequently Asked Questions
How Chef Balfegó works
Who can participate?
All chefs currently working in any restaurant in Europe may submit their application, including two recipes in which bluefin tuna is the star ingredient.
What does the test consist of?
Cada finalista cocina dos platos: el primero, con el lomo de atún rojo Balfegó; el segundo, con la parte o partes del atún que elija.
Who makes up the jury?
A jury chaired by Martín Berasategui and composed of renowned chefs and prominent food critics.
How are the dishes scored?
In the 9th edition: flavor, aroma, and texture (40 points), presentation (30 points), balance of ingredients (15 points), and proper handling of the product (15 points).
