Alfonso de Pinoso restaurant featured prominently in yesterday’s Menjars de la Terra event, a celebration that showcased the rich culinary landscape of the Alto y Medio Vinalopó region and the broader Alicante province. The current head chef, Javier Alfonso, leads the kitchen with the same thoughtful approach his parents began in the early 1980s, after they stepped back from daily duties. Javier reflected on the occasion, saying it felt wonderful to revive Menjars de la Terra, recalling how his parents participated during his childhood and how the event now stands as a powerful tribute to the diverse and vibrant gastronomy within the area.
The event unfolded with high-level officials in attendance, including María del Carmen Jover, the regional deputy for Medio Vinalopó and mayor of Algueña, along with Silvia Verdú, the first deputy mayor of Monovar. The presence of local leaders underscored the event’s significance for the community and its culinary identity.
A full sign indicated a dinner series for 110 guests, and many were eager to taste the representative menu that highlighted regional products, such as gachamiga croquettes and rabbit cutlets—dishes that have become favorites among the region’s diners.
Alfonso’s restaurant opened its doors in 1983, and after nearly four decades of dedication, founders Luis Alfonso and his wife Ana Salar stepped away from daily operations. Both were present at the Menjars de la Terra gathering yesterday. Their participation marked a heartfelt reunion with a festival that has long anchored the province’s gastronomic scene. The Information newspaper highlighted the collaboration with the Diputación de Alicante and the Provincial Assembly, which helped bring the conference into focus again. Luis Alfonso recalled the early days of the event, remembering the momentum started by Antonio González Pomata, and the couple shared vintage photographs to honor those formative years. For many attendees, this moment carried emotional weight, reflecting a shared history among organizers and guests alike. Ana Salar remarked that the initiative began with limited resources but abundant enthusiasm, a sentiment that resonated with everyone present. The menu’s revival and the event’s renewed energy were celebrated as meaningful memories regained and relationships strengthened within the local culinary network.
The most emotional moment of the conference occurred at Alfonso Restaurant, a scene that captured the affection and pride felt by the participants as they looked back on the event’s legacy and its impact on local dining traditions.
Among the listeners eager not to miss the gastronomic showcase were notable figures such as Mari Carmen Jover, the Mayor of Algueña, and the district and social services deputy. Their comments supported the belief that this initiative has the backing of the Diputación, acknowledging the region’s rich gastronomy and the importance of promoting it as a collective effort. The collaboration between provincial authorities and local councils was praised as a crucial factor in the event’s success and its potential to set a template for future editions.
Other attendees included Silvia Verdú, the first deputy mayor, and council member Maria Jose Moya. They concurred that initiatives of this kind matter deeply, especially for a town like Pinoso that leans on gastronomy to define its tourism and cultural appeal. The sentiment was clear: events like Menjars de la Terra help sustain local producers, chefs, and restaurateurs while inviting visitors to explore the region through its flavors and traditions.
As the festival drew to a close, the sense of continuity and renewal hung in the air. Menjars de la Terra had reached its final day in Alto y Medio Vinalopó, with earlier celebrations in La Despensa de Villena signaling a broader, cross-town collaboration that enriches the regional dining landscape. This year’s gathering reaffirmed the importance of regional ingredients, family-owned kitchens, and the shared commitment of communities to keep these culinary stories alive for both residents and travelers alike. The event stood as a testament to how gastronomy can bind people together, preserve memory, and spark new culinary conversations that extend beyond the tables of individual restaurants.
Cited sources and organizers emphasized that the festival’s revival is more than a nostalgic tribute; it is a strategic effort to promote the region’s culinary richness, support local producers, and inspire the next generation of chefs and restaurateurs. Attendees and organizers alike left with memories of flavorful dishes, the sounds of conversations about markets and farms, and a renewed sense of pride in the food that comes from the land around them. The enduring message was clear: Menjars de la Terra is not just a tasting event—it is a living showcase of the region’s gastronomy and a catalyst for ongoing collaboration among chefs, producers, and municipalities.
Citations: Information newspaper reporting on the event and the involvement of local authorities, with attribution to the Diputación de Alicante and the Provincial Assembly.