The Region of Valencia once again stands out on the international gastronomic scene with a notable presence at The Best Chef Awards 2025, recently held in Milan, an event that brings together the most influential chefs in the world.

These awards, created to recognise the creativity, technique and culinary identity of the most inspiring chefs, value not only gastronomic excellence but also the ability to move, innovate and build a personal discourse around cooking. A jury of international experts, journalists and industry professionals selects each year the talents setting trends on the global scene.

Among the highlights of this edition are several representatives of Valencian gastronomy, a reflection of a land where cooking is lived as an art form.

Luis Valls, El Poblet

Chef Luis Valls, at the helm of El Poblet —a Valencia Premium member— has been awarded two “knives”, one of the categories of The Best Chef awards system. This distinction places El Poblet within the circle of global culinary excellence and recognises the coherence, sensitivity and depth of its cuisine.

With two Michelin Stars, El Poblet combines the avant-garde and memory, reinterpreting Valencian cuisine with respect for local produce and the Mediterranean landscape. Each dish tells a story of roots and modernity, a conversation between tradition and creativity that defines Valls’s personal style.

Ricard Camarena, Ricard Camarena Restaurante

Also a Valencia Premium member, chef Ricard Camarena has been awarded two knives. His restaurant, holder of two Michelin Stars, represents a very personal vision of Mediterranean cuisine: honest, sustainable and constantly evolving.

Camarena has turned simplicity and technique into a language of his own, where seasonality, respect for produce and connection with the land are at the heart of every creation. His presence at The Best Chef Awards reinforces his role as one of Spain’s most influential chefs and an ambassador of the Valencian culinary soul.

Begoña Rodrigo, La Salita

Chef Begoña Rodrigo, at the helm of La Salita, has also been recognised with two knives in this edition. Her cooking, marked by sensitivity and creative strength, offers a contemporary reading of Mediterranean tradition, establishing her as one of the great gastronomic voices in the country.

Quique Dacosta · Quique Dacosta Restaurante

Chef Quique Dacosta has achieved a double distinction in this edition: he keeps three knives, the highest recognition in The Best Chef Awards system, and has also received The Best Food Art award, which celebrates the most aesthetic and emotional dimension of gastronomy.

His cooking goes beyond the culinary to enter the sensory and the poetic. At his restaurant in Dénia, every dish is an artistic creation combining technique, emotion and beauty. Dacosta turns gastronomy into a visual and narrative language in which the Mediterranean territory is expressed with subtlety, colour and emotion. His presence in Milan not only reinforces his international leadership but also projects the creative identity of the whole region that inspires his work.

The presence of four Valencian chefs among these international awards confirms the excellent moment that the gastronomy of the Region of Valencia is enjoying.