Many visitors are already envisioning this summer’s exhibition. Menjars de la Terra. The gastronomic legacy of González Pomata will be at the Teulada-Moraira Auditorium. Organized by the Carmencita Chair of Gastronomic Taste Studies at the University of Alicante, it runs until February 3 in cooperation with the Akdeniz Foundation. This marks the third leg of the journey for the exhibition as it travels through the region, supported by the Mediterranean Foundation and Alicante City University Venue.
The exhibition rests on a documentary archive that includes a large collection of documents and visuals. Thirteen thousand documents, plus extensive graphics, were donated to the Mediterra Foundation after the passing of the longtime information reporter. These materials hold immense value, capturing three decades of ethnographic, culinary, and cultural information about the entire Alicante province.
González Pomata’s gastronomic legacy on display at the UA Headquarters in Alicante
This collection, housed in the Documentary Archive of the Mediterranean Foundation and meticulously catalogued by the Carmencita chair, forms a faithful portrait of his impact. It highlights changes in regional products, production methods, trade and agriculture, gastronomy, festivals, and the distinctive lifestyle he fostered in the province of Alicante over fifty years.
One aim of the show is to align with the ongoing work at Teulada Auditorium in Moraira. The program emphasizes traditional cuisine and the gastronomic heritage of Marina Alta, aiming to raise awareness about preserving this heritage and promoting a delicious, healthy, and sustainable diet.
The exhibition features graphic and journalistic material that documents these themes.
The show was organized under the direction of the Teulada Moraira Auditorium. Maite Serrat curated by journalist and food writer Angels Ruiz, with the archive overseen by Mari Carmen Velasco of the Mediterranean Foundation. Scientific input came from Josep Bernabeu-Mestre, director of the Carmencita Gastronomic Taste Studies Chair, along with Maria Tormo Santamaria and Inés Antón Dayas. The design earned the Silver Emporia Award for 2021, recognizing the best blend of temporary, portable, and traveling exhibition formats crafted by José Luis Navarro and Sergi Hernández.
Josep Bernabeu-Mestre, director of the chair, expressed gratification at the cooperative effort between institutions to value and share such an important and representative European heritage. Alicante’s gastronomic culture shines through González Pomata’s legacy.
The exhibition will remain on view until February 3 of the following year.
Antonio González Pomata dedicated a large part of his career to defending and sharing the cultural and gastronomic value of Alicante. He organized the Menjars de la Terra editorial project and several initiatives with the support of INFORMACIÓN. Gastronomy Weeks, held between 1987 and 1994, were designed to re-evaluate traditional cuisine and the unique creations of the province. These efforts significantly influenced provincial gastronomy tourism and social policy alike.
These conferences were revived by INFORMACIÓN last year in a renewed format. The tour reached 35 restaurants across the province, drawing more than 5,000 diners who sampled the rich and diverse Alicante gastronomy.
“The Menjars” return
The exhibition presents graphic and journalistic material that underscores the importance of heritage to Alicante’s cultural history. It highlights how food reflects social codes, partnerships, and the evolving tastes that shaped regional gastronomy.
Alicante photographer Perfecto Arjones, who documented González Pomata’s projects, is prominently featured for his work in the local press exhibitions.
The Carmencita Chair aims to advance research, dissemination, and education in gastronomy. The chair also hosts another exhibition, Spices: A Universe of Flavor, opening September 15 at CEIP Jesús Navarro Jover in Novelda. Demand for this didactic exhibition has led to its expansion into a thirteenth program. The show is organized in collaboration with the University of Alicante’s Carmencita Chair of Gastronomic Taste Studies. The Akdeniz Foundation will host the exhibition at Teulada Moraira Auditorium, located at Carrer d’Orba, 2, Teulada, until February 3.
Antonio González Pomata devoted much of his career to protecting and promoting the ethnographic and gastronomic identity of Alicante. He organized the Menjars de la Terra project and several initiatives with INFORMACIÓN. The Gastronomy Weeks highlighted traditional dishes and unique local creations, contributing to a broader reformulation of provincial gastronomic tourism.
The exhibition highlights the value of preserving heritage and its role in shaping the culinary identity of the region. It presents a vivid narrative of how Alicante’s food culture evolved, reflecting the people, places, and processes that shaped it over time.