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With a lot of flavor! This is how one could define the stand of the Autonomous City of Ceuta at the recent edition of the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR), held as it is every year at the IFEMA Madrid fairgrounds. The city’s innovative space at the fair, with more than 200 square meters, was the setting chosen to officially present the alliance formed by the Autonomous City of Ceuta; the prestigious jewelry firm of Ceuta origin, Chocrón; and the Bugao restaurant, the ambitious gastronomic project led by the renowned chef Hugo Ruiz, which debuted in the capital just a year and a half ago and which is already part of the most prestigious culinary guide in the world, the Michelin Guide. Why? to enhance the image of Ceuta abroad and strengthen it as a tourist destination in terms of culture, sports, water sports, nature and, especially, gastronomy.
According to Ceuta’s Councilor for Development and Tourism, Alejandro Ramírez, “having Bugao’s presence at this edition of Fitur to promote Ceuta has proved to be a success. The city’s gastronomy, with its richness, variety and quality, is one of the pillars on which the Tourist Services strategy is based to attract visitors to the city and offer them an experience they will never forget. Hugo Ruiz is one of our most renowned chefs and has managed to bring Ceuta’s gastronomy to the capital with a modern, innovative and high quality proposal with his restaurant”.
Typical Ceuta flavors
The participation of the restaurant Bugao in the stand of Ceuta has been a real attraction throughout the fair, both for professional visitors and for the media. “We are very satisfied with the implementation of this important collaboration that we started with Ceuta Tourism in an event of world reference in tourism as Fitur, the reception of the public has been magnificent and during these days we have been a showcase from the stand of the city to show that culinary wealth we have in our land, the typical flavors of Ceuta. The truth is that gastronomy in Spain is a differential value, it is authentic, and represents a clear competitive factor against other destinations that we must take advantage of,” said Hugo Ruiz.
Bugao has been present with its “Cuisine between Seas” in its own space of 12 square meters, located on one side of the stand dedicated to showcooking and different thematic passes of typical Ceuta cuisine, much appreciated by visitors to the fair who stopped curious to learn more about the city and the restaurant itself.
Thus, the opening day began on January 18 with the iconic tarantelo toast, one of the chef’s most emblematic and admired creations, which incorporates bluefin tuna as the main ingredient, accompanied by tomato, soy and a thin slice of black truffle. On Thursday it was the turn of the bivalves, with thin shells as protagonists. The roasted garlic mayonnaise and especially the Bugao dressing with which they were served to enhance their unmistakable taste of the sea: an exquisite combination of yuzu, soy, EVOO and sesame oil. Finally, the last two days the chef from Ceuta has surprised visitors with two other classics of the popular gastronomy of Ceuta, octopus with mayonnaise and chicken hearts mollete seasoned with a rich variety of spices.
Both the Department of Development and Tourism of the Autonomous City of Ceuta and the Bugao restaurant have insisted on the importance of this collaboration agreement in which, as both have stressed, “from now on interesting projects will be developed with the aim of promoting and publicizing all that this unique city offers “where emotions come together”.
