Volver al blogOn 29 September, Valencia Premium brought its members together at a networking event held at Five Iron Valencia. The gathering combined meeting, sharing experiences and reflecting on the challenges facing the sector, in an initiative developed with the support of Turisme Comunitat Valenciana.
Welcome to Simposio restaurant
The day began with the official presentation of the newest member, Simposio restaurant in San Antonio de Benagéber. Its chef, Roger Julián, introduced the restaurant to all the members. With this addition, the association now brings together 47 companies from different areas of the tourism sector.
Simposio opened in November 2022, just over 15 kilometres from Valencia, and earned its first star in the 2026 Michelin Guide. Trained at the Valencia School of Hospitality, Roger Julián has more than 18 years of experience and has worked alongside Santi Santamaria and at restaurants such as La Sucursal and Apicius.
Roger told Simposio’s story first-hand, from its beginnings in November 2022 to its first Michelin star in 2026 and its Repsol Sun. A path that, as he explained, was not always easy and has been marked by perseverance, hard work and the support of his team and many fellow professionals, whom he especially wanted to thank.
Simposio offers contemporary cuisine closely tied to the land and makes full use of every ingredient. Among its hallmarks is a wine list made up 100% of wines from the Region of Valencia, Roger’s personal commitment to giving visibility and value to local produce and wineries.
New projects, experiences and success stories
Next, several members shared their new projects, experiences and success stories.
Gourmet Catering & Eventos presented “The Silk Road”, the project that has just won the Bronze medal for Best Catering at the 2026 Eventoplus Awards. Created for TESYA Group and staged at La Cartuja de Ara Christi, the concept turned the historic Silk Road into the common thread of a gastronomic and scenographic experience inspired by exchange and connection between East and West.
This award consolidates an outstanding track record at these awards: Gourmet has reached the podium for three consecutive years, after winning Gold for Best Catering in 2024 and another Bronze in 2025. Proof of the ability of this Valencian family business, with more than 75 years of history, to make gastronomy an essential part of the event experience.
Audrey’s, the restaurant in Calpe led by chef Rafa Soler, holder of one Michelin star and two Repsol Suns, also introduced itself. Its creative cuisine draws on the Valencian larder, local produce and a strong Mediterranean identity.
Meanwhile, a member of the Lladró team presented a proposal for association members linked to Valencian craftsmanship and know-how, opening the door to a possible joint collaboration that we hope will soon become a reality. An initiative especially in tune with a brand that keeps handcrafting and collaboration with creators at the heart of its identity.
Discussion: climate change and the challenge of high temperatures
The meeting also included a discussion on one of the major challenges currently facing the tourism sector: the impact of climate change and, in particular, rising temperatures during the summer months.
Carlos Boga, president of Valencia Premium, opened the debate by sharing some of the latest official data and raising questions such as possible changes in seasonality, travel habits, source markets and the organisation of events during the hottest months.
From there, members shared how they are experiencing this reality in their own businesses and the measures they are starting to adopt. Key lines of action included strengthening communication with clients, adapting schedules and experiences, improving infrastructure and air-conditioned spaces, and promoting activities during cooler hours.
The debate also highlighted the need to anticipate possible changes in demand and to analyse how this new scenario could help redistribute tourism flows to other months of the year, especially spring and autumn, thus reinforcing the destination’s year-round appeal.
An exchange of experiences that made it possible to approach the challenge from different perspectives and open a shared reflection on how to adapt the tourism offer of the Region of Valencia to an increasingly present climate reality.
Cocktail and indoor golf at Five Iron
The meeting ended with a cocktail and a round of golf on the Five Iron Valencia simulators. This new venue in the city is dedicated to indoor golf, offers food and drinks, and also hosts events like this one.
A calendar of meetings for members
The Five Iron event is the second networking meeting organised by Valencia Premium this year, following the one held in March at Hotel Primus Valencia. The calendar will continue in November with a new networking event in Alicante.
The association completes its annual programme with Valencia Premium Talks, a forum for meeting and reflection held twice a year, and the Valencia Premium Golf Tournament, a networking day around golf that this year will take place on 26 November at Club de Golf Mediterráneo in Castellón.
