Villanueva de los Infantes kicks off its Pepper Fair with an opening address by Chef José Antonio Medina and awards for the town’s young entrepreneurs

On September 4th, the opening speech for the Feria del Pimiento took place, a celebration declared of Regional Tourist Interest.

Francisco Javier Peinado, Councilor for Culture and Tourism, defined the festival not only as one of the main tourist attractions of Villanueva de los Infantes, but also as a unique opportunity to share culture and roots. “The pepper, a humble product deeply linked to our land, becomes during these days the symbol of a celebration where gastronomy, agriculture, craftsmanship, folklore, heritage, culture, and community spirit go hand in hand.”

Following this, the vice-president of TURINFA, María Pacheco, introduced this year's guest speaker, chef José Antonio Medina, who has been awarded a Michelin Star. From his restaurant ‘El Coto de Quevedo’, in Torre de Juan Abad, he has established himself as one of the national benchmarks of haute cuisine, becoming an exceptional ambassador for the gastronomy of the Campo de Montiel.

With great emotion, the chef, a native of Puebla del Príncipe, pointed out that “the true greatness of the Pisto Más Grande del Mundo lies in all the generations that demonstrate that the preparation of the pisto begins long before lighting the fire, when an entire town gathers to chop it, cook it, and share it.”

After the speech, the awards that TURINFA grants to individuals and institutions whose work allows for the continuity of the festival and the tourist, cultural, and gastronomic development of Villanueva de los Infantes were presented. This year, a posthumous tribute was paid to TURINFA members Ángel Algaba and Manuel Naranjo, collaborators of the Feria del Pimiento. At the same time, TURINFA wished to distinguish the young people who, in their academic or professional careers, have decided to commit to Villanueva de los Infantes: Aarón Aparicio, Andrés Aparicio, Nieves Castellanos, Almudena Lucas, Alba Plaza, and Alfonso Valero. Miguel Ángel González Gallego, author of the poster for this year's edition of the Feria del Pimiento, also received recognition.

The ceremony concluded with a speech by the mayor of Villanueva de los Infantes, Carmen María Montalbán, who reminded everyone that “keeping our towns alive involves generating opportunities and having people willing to take advantage of them and create them.”