Manuel Alonso, the Rte Casa Manolo Daimús, wins the contest red shrimp

This year the prize was not far from the Dianense coast. The chef Manuel Alonso Fominaya, the restaurant Casa Manolo Daimús (Valencia) Tuesday rose yesterday with the first prize 3º International Competition of Creative Cuisine Red Gamba de Dénia which it was held at the Mercat Municipal thanks to your recipe "Prawn ceviche from Dénia with corn water and sepia melba powder".

Manuel Alonso was rewarded with a sculpture by the artist Toni Marí javiense and a check worth 1.000 euros.

In second place was the dish Dénia red prawn sea contrasts prepared by chef Joaquin Rufete Baeza, Restaurant Baeza & Rufete Alicante, who received a check for 500 euros and the third winner was José Miguel Moreno Ruiz, head chef at the restaurant Earth Valdepalacios Hotel, Torrico (Toledo), prescription Suquet Dénia red prawn coalWhich was 300 euros.

Joining them involved five other chefs from around the country who live their creations prepared with red shrimp starring: Roger Villaró, Restaurant B of Lleida, with the recipe Prawn trip to the garden; Diego Barbero Pina, Restaurant Celebris Hotel Hiberus Zaragoza with red prawn tartar from Dénia, geleé from cucumber, grape, strawberry and sea of ​​tomato water; Javier Cabrera, Restaurant E Roses (Girona), with recipe Dénia red prawn, iodinated outbreaks, furikake and aioli coulant; Juan Manuel Salgado Dominguez, Dani García Restaurant Marbella (Málaga), with recipe on tenterhooks and Jordi Bernat, the Candela restaurant of Alicante, with his plate Dénia red prawn on levantino daub in coca mollitas with semi marine pickles.

The cooks were evaluated by a jury chaired by Quique DacostaWho he was in charge of reading the minutes of winners, and formed by José Carlos Capel, president of MadridFusión, food critic for El País and member of the Spanish Academy of Gastronomy; Cuchita Lluch, president of the Academy of Gastronomy of Valencia; Xavi Agulló, food critic and author of the blog 7 Cannibals; Pedro García Mocholí, food journalist provinces and Julia Pérez Lozano, culinary journalist with El Mundo firm, specialized magazines like Apicius and culinary sections of magazines such as Elle and Vogue.

Throughout the morning there were many people who came to the Mercat Municipal live to see the evolution of the contest, which began at 9: 30 in the morning and lasted until the 13 hours. In the 11: 40 out the first dish to the table of the jury thanks to the collaboration of students CDT team of Denia, which at 12: 50 served the jury the last of the candidates dishes.

Tribute to José Piera Puchol, Pepe "El Pegolí"

Minutes later produced one d elos most emotional moments of the morning: the tribute to Pepe "The Pegolí", One of the great ambassadors of the red prawn and local cuisine. Councilwoman tourism, Pepa FontHe said of "The Pegolí" who has managed to reinvent their kitchen since his parents opened the restaurant doors in the years 50, betting on fresh produce and visiting the fish market daily to acquire the best pieces.

According to Font, "we can never thank him for everything he has done for the dissemination of the name of Dénia and one of our main products, the red prawn. Pepe "The Pegolí" He received from the hands of the mayor a commemorative sculpture of the moment, and addressed the audience, very excited to be thankful for this recognition of his career.

The third edition of International Gamba Roja de Dénia closes its doors with a great public success and quality year after year is increasing, making Denia the gastronomic capital of the Region in the early days of March.