D * na Festival: history and participants of the gastronomic event of Dénia

The D * na Festival is the most mediatic and massive event in Dénia, which has been held for a few years but has already become an unmissable event for lovers of gastronomy. In fact, it is recognized as one of the most important gastronomic festivals in the Valencian Community.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

What is it?

The D * na is a gastronomic and ludic festival with international projection, which is organized every year by the City Council of Dénia and Turisme Comunitat Valenciana. Its great significance has to do, in part, with the role of 3-Michelin-star chef Quique Dacosta as spokesperson and gastronomic curator.

History

The festival started its journey in 2017 with Quique Dacosta as the main promoter. This was held at the Marineta Cassiana with the name of D * na Festival and served to project to the world the image of Dénia as a Unesco Creative Gastronomic City.

Since then, five editions have been held and a sixth will take place next September 2023. One each year except for 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced the event to be cancelled. Now, not always with the same format. The D*NA Festival, in its original format and with which it has become known, was only held in 2017, 2018 and 2022, with resounding success among the public and participants.

Alternative formats

Different circumstances have forced D * na to adapt to create new proposals and different spaces where the best of gastronomy can be brought closer to people.

D * na Forum

In 2019, the decision was made to alternate the festival with interspersed years dedicated to holding a forum for debate on products, gastronomy and restaurants. This gastronomic forum that was born as D * na Fòrum was developed that same year on November 25, 26 and 27 at the CdT Dénia. It had the participation of gastronomic critics, journalists, cooks, tourism technicians, consultants, businessmen, ranchers and farmers.

Access all the information on the D * na Forum here.

D * na Restaurant

After a 2020 in which the festival could not be held due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organization decided to reinvent the format to adapt it to the health reality of the moment. In this way, in order to avoid crowds, the Marineta Cassiana promenade was again dispensed with to carry out the event, and the booths were replaced by the catering establishments themselves. The format sought to bring the public closer to Dénia restaurants by offering special menus for this purpose, where the local product was the protagonist.

At the same time, two stages located in the center of Dénia, in the Plaza del Consell and in Marqués de Campo, hosted different round tables, exhibitions, workshops and conferences, with chefs of great national and international recognition participating in them, such as Albert Adrià or Quique Dacosta himself.

The first and, for now, only edition of this so-called D * na Restaurant took place during the December 2021 bridge, between Friday the 3rd and Monday the 6th.

Access all the information on the D * na Restaurant here.

When is celebrated?

The date varies each year, although it is usually always in autumn. The first D * na Festival took place between September 30 and October 1, but both the D * na Fòrum and the D * na Restaurant took place between the end of November and the beginning of December. The duration of the event is one weekend to facilitate the presence of anyone who wants to attend.

El D*na Festival 2023 It will be held on September 30 and October 1, a weekend that will mark the fourth edition in the large format with which it was announced.

Schedule

You can access the complete program of the D*na Festival here.

Where it develops?

The official location is the Marineta Cassiana promenade, along which several booths of participating restaurateurs and producers are located and where people can purchase their proposals.

In the shape of a bar, there is a long table with views of the sea that occupies the entire beach railing, where people can consume their orders. Finally, at the end of the walk, in the farthest part of the town center, there is a stage where different renowned chefs and producers pass by to hold conferences and workshops focused on gastronomy.

En 2023 The D*na Festival returns to the Marineta Cassiana promenade, just like last year and its first two editions.

Participants

The participants are not the same every year, although many restaurateurs and producers repeat. However, variations are usually produced, so that in each edition there are new proposals.

In the case of invited speakers or lecturers, this rotation is much more visible, with new faces every time the poster is renewed.

First edition: D * na Festival 2017

In its first year, 17 catering establishments, 22 producers and artisans and 4 “food truck” caravans presented their offers in booths and exhibition spaces. Among the guests, the chefs passed through the two stages of the festival:

• Joan Roca
• jordi cruz
• Angel León
• Andoni Luis Aduriz
• Paco Torreblanca
• Susi Diaz
• Maria Jose Sanroman
• Ricard Camarena

Second edition: D * na Festival 2018

In 2018, 50 booths were installed along the promenade to house restaurants, producers, artisans, manufacturing companies and institutional and private initiatives for gastronomic promotion. A total of 36 chefs and speakers paraded through the stages, including chefs Pepe Hernández, Elena Arzak, Pepe Solla and Dani García.

Third edition: D * na Fòrum 2019

13 speakers from diverse origins participated in the first forum format, as well as 48 experts and representatives of the different sectors involved in 17 discussion tables cos their respective moderators.

Fourth edition: D * na Restaurant 2021

In 2021 there will be 41 restaurants, along with bars, cafes, ice cream parlors, patisserie and food stores, which will host the D * na in this edition. His guest chefs include:

• Albert Adrià, who was head of pastry at El Bulli
• Alberto Ferruz (Bon Amb)
• Begona Rodrigo (La Salita)
• Ricard Camarena (Ricard Camarena Restaurant)
• Bruno Ruiz (Aticcook)
• Juan Ramos (Lisa Negra)
• José Manuel López (Fish and Brases)
• Kiko Molla (L'Escaleta)
• Luis Valls (El Poblet)
• Miquel Ruiz (El Baret de Miquel)
• Oscar Molina (La Gaia)
• Pau Barba (Pacha Ibiza Group)
• Rafa Soler (Audrey's)
• Quique Dacosta, who will close the cycle of conferences

Fifth edition: D*na Festival 2022

His return to Marineta Cassiana after the pandemic came from the hand of great personalities in haute cuisine, such as:

• Mario Sandoval, from the Coque restaurant (Madrid), which has two Michelin Stars and three Repsol Suns
• Diego Guerrero, from the DSTAgE restaurant (Madrid), which has two Michelin Stars
• Aina Serra, from the Casa Pepa restaurant (Ondara), which has a Michelin Star and two Repsol Suns
• Quique Dacosta, from the restaurant Quique Dacosta (Dénia) and El Poblet (València), with three Michelin Stars and two Michelin Stars, respectively
• Miquel Ruiz, from El Baret de Miquel (Dénia), which has a Repsol Sun
• Ricardo Temino, from La Fábrica restaurant (Burgos)
• Christina Figueira, from the restaurant El Xato (La Nucia), with a Michelin Star and a Repsol Sun
• Federico Cervera, Diana Cervera and Luis Canizares, from Els Magazinos (Denia)
• Massimo Arienti, Giovanni Mastromarino and Matías Farfan, from the Nomada restaurant (Dénia)
• Maria Jose San Roman, from the Monastrell restaurant (Alacant), with two Repsol Suns
• Mario Doria and Quique Barella, from the Gastroadictos Group (València)
• Belen Escriva and Oscar Mari, from the restaurant La Xerna del Mar (Dénia)
• Jose Manuel Lopez, from the Peix&Brases restaurant (Dénia), with a Michelin Star and two Repsol Suns
• Mark Moran, from the Casa Gerardo restaurant (Prendes, Asturias), with a Michelin Star and three Repsol Suns
• Cristina Baixauli, from the Agua de Mar restaurant and Casa Benjamín (Dénia)
• Julia Lozano, from the restaurant El Faralló (Dénia)
• Pink Bolufer, from La Giralda restaurant (Dénia)
• Mari Luz Piera, from the restaurant El Pegolí (Dénia)
• Antonio Jesus Morante, from the Café Plaza restaurant (Catral)
• Roberto Atzeni and Miguel Bonet, from the Malaspina restaurant (Benidorm)
• Miquel Gilabert and Jose Manuel Bisetto, from the Mare restaurant (Benidoleig)
• Evenor Seville and Francisco Flores, from the Masía la Mota restaurant (Alcoi)

Sixth edition: D*na Festival 2023

Once again this year the stages of the Marinta Cassiana are preparing to host the best chefs in the country. These are the participants of this edition:

• Angel León, from the Aponiente restaurant (Cádiz), which has four Michelin Stars and three Repsol Suns on its resume.
• Jose Avillez, Portuguese chef with a couple of Michelin stars and several restaurants in his country and Dubai.
• Sergio Torres, owner of the three-star Michelin restaurant Cocina Hermanos Torres, and very much in the media thanks to the television program he hosted with his brother.
• Pablo González, from Cabaña Buenavista (El Palmar, Murcia).
• Carolina Alvarez, from the Quique Dacosta Restaurant (Dénia).
• Sergio Bastard, from La Casona del Judío (Murcia).
• Lucia Freitas, from A Tafona (Santiago de Compostela).
• Nacho Manzano, from Casa Marcial (Parres, Asturias).
• Josean Ali, from Nerua (Bilbao).
• Roberto Atzeni, from Malaspina (Benidorm).
• Eduardo Espejo, from Flama (València).
• Miguel Rivas, from Noa (Elx).
• Michael Gilabert, from Mare (Benidoleig).
• Maruja Santacreu and Marta Devesa, from Hogar del Pescador (Vila Joiosa).
• Nuria Sanz, Oscar Ollero and Jonatan Santana, from L'Estibador (València).
• Federico Pian, from El Gato Blanco (El Campello).
• Eva Ferrer, Alejandro Serna and Estefanía Menargues, from Vine Restaurant (Alacant).
• Peter Berja, from Destapa't (Benicarló).
• Dora Perello, from La Coquería (Dénia).
• Anay Bueno, from Cor de Carxofa (Benicarló).

Reception

In its Festival format, over 22.000 people pass through the D * na venue in each edition, according to official estimates. In the Forum format, on the contrary, just over a hundred people attended the debates in person, although the online following was greater.

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