Dénia’s food festival serves up a feast of Mediterranean talent

The D*na Festival Gastronòmic has returned to Dénia for its ninth edition, turning the Marineta Cassiana seafront into a huge celebration of food, local produce and culinary knowledge.

Taking place across Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27, this year’s festival has brought together leading chefs, restaurants, producers, artisans and food lovers, with the Mediterranean at the heart of the event.

A festival built around sharing knowledge

This year’s edition, creatively directed by three-Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta, has placed a particular emphasis on passing gastronomic knowledge from one generation to the next.

Rather than focusing solely on finished dishes, the festival is giving visitors the opportunity to discover how food is produced, prepared and understood.

Across more than 800 metres of the Marineta Cassiana, almost 50 stands have been showcasing restaurants, local producers and artisans, while workshops, tastings and live cooking demonstrations have been running throughout the weekend.

The programme covers everything from rice and Dénia red prawns to olive oil, wine, honey, spices and traditional cured products.

There has also been a strong focus on learning through hands-on experiences, with workshops aimed at both adults and children.

Big names join local food producers

The festival has attracted some of the biggest names in Spanish gastronomy, while keeping local businesses and products firmly in the spotlight.

Saturday’s programme featured chefs including Paco Roncero, Óscar Molina, Paola Freire, Alberto Ferruz, Nazario Cano and Anna Terrés, alongside sessions exploring everything from Alicante wines and spices to rice, seafood and traditional recipes.

Portuguese city Matosinhos is also the guest destination this year, bringing its own culinary traditions to the festival.

The result is an event where visitors can move between high-end cuisine and small-scale producers, discovering the people and techniques behind the food rather than simply sitting down to eat it.

Ferran Adrià brings star power

One of the biggest moments of the weekend has been the appearance of Ferran Adrià, founder of the legendary elBulli restaurant.

During the opening day, Adrià praised Dénia’s food culture and highlighted the importance of bringing together the public, businesses and institutions around gastronomy.

He also made an appearance on Sunday evening, where he discussed the evolution of gastronomy and the importance of knowledge in shaping the future of food.

Meanwhile, the festival is also supporting Dénia’s wider restaurant scene, with venues across the city offering special D*na menus as part of the gastronomic celebration.

With its combination of famous chefs, local producers, interactive workshops and Mediterranean food, this year’s D*na Festival is once again putting Dénia’s culinary identity firmly centre stage.