No Andalucian chef has ever won the prestigious Maestro Parrillero title. Now, eight master grillers from across the region are grabbing their aprons, salt and tongs, and heading north to take on Spain and Portugal’s top meat specialists—and hopefully break the streak.
A national contest over the coals
Marmarra, the headquarters of meat group Gesalaga Okelan in Zarautz, Gipuzkoa, will host the fifth edition of the competition on Tuesday, October 20. Organisers have confirmed 45 professional parrilleros (grill chefs), from as many Spanish provinces, plus four participants from Portugal, making this the largest field in the contest’s history.
Each province is represented by a restaurant known for grilled meat, particularly the chuleta, a bone-in ribeye steak. Andalucia’s contenders are El Capricho Gastrobar in Costa Ballena, Cadiz; Montevideo Steak House in Cordoba; Asador de la Reina in Granada; Asador Oreka in Almeria; Kilometro 6 in Jaen; Taberna del Cristo in Almonte, Huelva; El Emigrante in Sevilla; and Asador Don Joaquin in Pizarra, Malaga.
How a winner is chosen
Competition day is split into a semifinal and a final. Chefs compete in four regional groups — North, East, South and Centre — with the North and East groups cooking in the morning and the South and Centre groups in the afternoon.
Winners from each semifinal advance to the final, held late in the afternoon. A jury of 80 food and cultural figures, led by renowned Basque chef Martin Berasategui, will decide who receives the txapela, the traditional Basque beret awarded to the champion.
No Andalucian chef has yet won the title. Previous champions came from Bizkaia, Ávila, Burgos and Gipuzkoa, with Martxel Elizondo of Asador Estebenea in Irun taking last year’s crown.
Celebrating Iberian food culture
Organisers want to promote Basque gastronomy, traditional livestock farming and the chuleta. Visitors will also meet two Portuguese Minhota oxen, weighing around 4,500 kilograms together, acquired by Okelan for a foundation project protecting native Iberian cattle breeds.
For Andalucia’s eight hopefuls, the grill is waiting. Master the fire, respect the meat and cook a delicious juicy steak capable of beating Spain and Portugal’s best.