Iberostar has launched a new initiative 'Tasteful Destinations (Destinos con Sabor)', a culinary project developed in collaboration with Flor de la Pasión, one of the most renowned gourmet pastry makers in Spain
Its main objective is to innovate and go beyond the traditional hotel culinary offering to provide its clients with a unique gourmet experience.
Three exclusive cakes have been created, taking inspiration from Andalusia, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, made with a wide variety of local ingredients
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts has taken its gourmet offering, one of its fundamental pillars, to the next level whilst paying special tribute to the Spanish destinations in its latest collaboration.
Taking on board the suggestions of its most innovative chefs, the company has developed a new culinary project through Flor de la Pasión, one of the élite gourmet confectioners in Spain, led by the distinguished Luís Segarra.
With the aim to offer its clients a unique and exclusive gourmet experience, which goes beyond the traditional hotel culinary offering, both companies have created “Tasteful Destinations (Destinos con Sabor).” The collaboration offers high-quality pastry products and also pays tribute to the Spanish regions in which Iberostar has a strong presence: Andalusia, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.
With inspiration taken from the identity and spirit of each of these regions, the Iberostar chefs have worked with the pastry masters at Flor de la Pasión to create three different cakes, made with a wide variety of local ingredients, to truly reflect each region.
Mare Nostrum is the name of the cake inspired by the Balearic and Mediterranean spirit. From an aesthetic point of view, it has been designed in waves to resemble the sea which bathes the islands, and the warm colours, such as yellow and ochre, represent the magnificent sunsets on the beaches of the archipelago. It is prepared using marzipan sponge cake with Majorcan almonds, Porreras dried apricot jam and lemon thyme, Sóller citrus-fruit cream and crunchy pearls of Caramelia, along with a layer of Sóller citrus-fruit mousse.
Vulcano represents the volcanic soul of the Canary Islands. It is prepared with traditional ingredients such as Canary banana ganache, Canary gofio flour and local honey-and-rum essence. The top is decorated with red tones and rocks from Mount Teide to make it look like an erupting volcano.
The scent of orange blossom, olives and almonds are some of the elements which form part of the essence of Andalusia. To bring its spirit to life, ingredients such as sugar-coated Andalusian orange, Huelva berries and almond praline mousse have been selected. It is decorated with olive leaves and chocolate-coated Lepe raspberries, making the Al-Ándalus cake a tribute to the best traditional ingredients of the region.
These three exclusive cakes will be available from the start of 2014 in Iberostar's 33 hotels in Spain (5 in Andalusia, 14 in the Canary Islands and 4 in the Balearic Islands).
Óscar González, Iberostar Head of Marketing for Europe said: “This project is another step forward in our commitment to providing our guests with the best cuisine from around the world. It is a variation of the culinary offering expected of our competitors and, focuses firmly on gastronomy - going beyond the traditional buffets."
Honorato Espinar, Chef Executive of Iberostar Hotels & Resorts and one of the driving forces behind the project, has stated that: “This project is a tribute to the gastronomy and local identity of the regions in which Iberostar is established and further proof of our commitment to quality and client satisfaction.”
The prestigious confectioner Luis Segarra, head of Flor de la Pasión, added: “Our collaboration with Iberostar has developed in a natural way, because both companies are chasing a clear objective – quality, first and foremost. The result has been an absolutely first-class exclusive gourmet product which captures the essence of each region – they are sure to amaze the hotels' clients.”
The Tasteful Destinations project comes under the umbrella of Iberostar Chef, a new concept around which the company's entire culinary offer revolves, and which encompasses all initiatives related to gastronomy.
Live show cooking, special events with guest chefs, training courses in its own cooking classes and books such as “La Cocina Iberostar” ("Iberostar Cuisine") with the company's chefs' best international recipes, are just some of the initiatives being developed under the name Iberostarchef.
