People
Those ones we want you to meet
Cristina & Ricardo
The last of the Mohicans
These two cheese producers are a national treasure. They are two of the last remaining shepherds in Navarra and have won several international awards for their incredible Idiazabal goat cheese. They produce this cheese in their own home and are now selling their product to some of the best chefs in the country. Not only will you meet them, but you’ll get to experience their unique way of life, remarkable approach to food, and endless generosity. You won’t be able to help falling in love with them. But they aren’t just wonderful people, they’re custodians of an ancient and precious culinary tradition.
Where we met them : Basque country – Spain
Fernando
The Big Fish
In the 16th century, Sevilla was one of the wealthiest cities on Earth. The river Guadalquivir, which flows through the heart of the city, became a river of gold, choked with galleys, each laden with riches from the New World. Sevilla’s Golden Age may be long gone, but, today, Fernando knows that the Guadalquivir is still filled with treasures, from the fauna and flora that thrive along its banks, to the endless stories and legends that lie under its shimmering surface. For years, Fernando has been a regular sight on the waters of the Guadalquivir. His sailing school not only teaches the art of navigation, but promotes the protection and preservation of the local ecosystem. After having met Fernando you’ll understand why everyone calls him “the big fish”.
Where we met him : Andalucia – Spain
Sofia Rivaes
The conference of the Birds
Sofia Rivaes is like the phoenix in the famous Persian myth, constantly reinventing herself in order to achieve her mission in life. Years ago, this biologist and bird lover started producing organic rice in the Ebro delta, where industrial agriculture is devastating the local ecosystem. In 2003, Sofía teamed up with SEO/Birdlife to set up a company that produces organic foods such as rice, pasta, and legumes, without the use of pesticides. Slowly, Sofía and her team have changed the way things work in the delta, proving to large-scale farmers that an environmentally conscious way of working is just as profitable – and considerably more sustainable – than conventional methods. Her farm has now become a hotspot for bird-watching and an important center for the preservation of salt lagunas and fauna in the area. Once you meet her, we’re sure you’ll agree: the world needs more Sofías.
Where we met her : Catalunya – Spain
Francisco Almuina
Frankie Wonder
Francisco is a magician. He has an infectious zest for life; a man who finds endless beauty in the world around him. Seven years ago, Francisco lost his sight in an accident. Since then, he says, life has taken on new meaning, and he has gained more than he ever thought possible. To walk along the Ribeira Sacra with him is a blessing. Francisco is curious about everything, He knows every tree, every plant, every flower. A proud Galician, he also plays an important role in the community. He is the social tie that binds this sparsely populated region of Galicia, and believes in welcoming visitors and inviting them to keep Galicia alive in their hearts.
Where we met him : Bierzo Galicia – Spain
Xemma Marcos
The wine salvager
Everybody loves an underdog story. Especially when the protagonist is facing impossible odds and still, somehow, comes out on top. Back in the 1980’s, the Perez family, a group of five “hippies”, decided to produce wine in the Priorat region of Cataluña. There was only one problem. The land, they were told, had terrible soil. There weren’t enough nutrients. It was “impossible” for vines to grow there. The Perez family were undeterred by the naysayers. Within a few years, they were producing some of the most prized wines in Spain. Today, Xemma continues to preserve the Perez legacy, and is the perfect guide through this remarkable winery and its epic underdog story.
Where we met her : Catalunya – Spain
Marco Barba
The horse whisperer
Forget Robert Redford. Marco is the real deal. He was practically born on a horse. As a young boy, his parents taught him to ride, and he spent all of his free time in the stables. Years later, he went to university and studied fine arts. But he never let go of his first love. Following his heart, he decided to work with horses and became a professional trainer. He also breeds horses and has developed a new process, based on biomechanical principles, which is much more respectful of the animal. He has become an authority in the equine world and has worked with some of its biggest names (Lucy Rees, Jean Claude Rysli, Coby Volger, to name a few). Yet, he still loves nothing more than going for a ride in the wild countryside of El Bierzo. Being out there, he believes, is what connects us to our ancestral heritage and the raw, awe-inspiring power of nature.
Where we met him : Galicia – Spain
Jacqueline & Thierry
Silk secrets
There was a time when the silk of the Cévennes was renowned all over Europe. This mountainous region in the southern part of France has the perfect climate for growing the blackberry bushes the silkworms love so much. Due to
a disease which struck the worms and the collateral effects
of globalization, the weavers have almost disappeared. Jacqueline & Thierry, however, a couple of winemakers, are passionate about the heritage received from their ancestors’ office, and so they maintain the tradition and still produce some very exclusive silk cloths. Each time we pass through St Hippolyte du Fort on our southern France tour we like to stop by to greet them and have a chat. Because their stories are exactly like their worms’ silk, precious, strong and for the ages.
Where we met them : Occitanie – France
Alexandra & Eric
Bottomless
“Immensely curious” are perhaps the words that best describe this sea-going couple. Alexandra & Eric are two young explorers that together share their passion for sailing, meeting new people, baking pastries & cooking healthy food on-board their boat. Having explored the whole world, studied anthropology, worked in the merchant navy and in the tourism industry, they decided to drop anchor in their home port of Collioure on the French side of the Costa Brava. From there, they set sail with a happy few to discover the secrets of this magical place, and share their homegrown knowledge and insights into its traditions while also giving freely of their knowledge of the sea. You can’t visit this beautiful area on the southern end of what the French call La Golfe du Lion without meeting Alexandra & Eric.
Where we met them : Occitanie – France
Pat Hains
Baking memories
If you want to know how to bake genuinely good bread, Pat Hains is one person you need to know: She has studied bread baking in France, Italy and Germany. Her focus has been on European breads and the use of pre-ferments (also known as a bread-starter) and sourdoughs. She received the highest honour in her formal training in 2011 in German Bread Baking at the Akademie des deutschen Bäckerhandwerk Weinheim. For the past six years, Pat has taught bread and pastry classes using her wood fired oven and has hosted international guests and famous chefs at the Hains House. To meet Pat in the incredibly lovely village of Saint Cirq Lapopie (deservedly famous for being one of France’s most beautiful villages) is an experience you won’t soon forget. Her communicative good humour and love for old flours and biodynamic products will awaken something in your heart and soul as warm as a wood-fire oven.
Where we met her : Occitanie – France
Luc Richard & Karin Pühringer
Planning the future
Luc Richard and Karin Pühringer, a couple of passionate architects and owners of a wonderful hotel and vineyard at the foot of the eastern French Pyrenees. They like to think that each and every visitor feels at home in Riberach. The old wine cooperative cellar in the village had been abandoned for 10 years, Karin and Luc are rehabilitating it to house not only the Riberach wine cellars but also a luxury, contemporary hotel-restaurant, inspired by their urban culture. Impregnated with eco-friendly architecture, Karin and Luc put their convictions into practice and make Domaine Riberach an innovative and environmental-friendly place. Come with us to the south of France to get to know them!
Where we met them : Occitanie – France
Nerea and Jesus Inigo
God save the Anchovy
We are always amazed to see how humble and genuinely friendly Jesús and his wife Nerea are… because assuredly they could boast about their career in the culinary industry. But they choose to remain down to earth. Their journeys have brought them to the best kitchens in the U.K. and United States, working alongside the biggest names in the food scene you could dream of: Arzak, El Bulli, Akelarre… Their journey ended (or began again) when they opened their own restaurant and started to build their own identity. It didn’t take long before everyone discovered their talent: their “Anchovy sponge Pintxo” won a host of culinary awards that year and earned them an enviable reputation. They will be more than happy to open their kitchen to us and teach us some tricks on how to prepare the ultimate Pintxo. So join us on the Bordeaux to Bilbao tour!
Sébastien Maurin
The grape never falls far from the vine
Sébastien tells the story of Burgundy’s great wines to both connaisseurs and the non-initiated, without distinction, and reveals to them some of the secrets of the region and its vineyards from the most famous to the lesser known. This young man might have been born in a wine barrel. He has worked as sommelier for the most renowned chef in the area, opened his own wine bar in Beaune and studied at the agro-campus of Burgundy. He has made it his mission to pass on his knowledge while taking you through some of the most famous vineyards from Marsannay to Santenay via Gevrey Chambertin, Meursault and many others. Burgundy is a fascinating region not only for its wines but also for its rich history and culture, and Sébastien will help you understand what goes into making these world-renowned wines: The people behind the bottles, the minerals in the soil, and mostly the magical effect of time and patience. He’ll turn your journey into a wonderful vintage.
Where we met him : Bourgogne – France
