Por Redaccion 
Lidia López inaugurates the meeting on Sunday, which extends until Monday and features the presence of the two Michelin stars María Marte, the disseminator María Jiménez Latorre, and the General Director of Food Industry José Miguel Herrero, among others
Alicante, May 9, 2025. The I Congress of Women in Gastronomy (MEG) «The strength of who we are» analyzes the challenges and transformation of the sector for two days, Sunday and Monday, at the Fundación Mediterráneo. In this meeting, chefs, academics, journalists, businesswomen, and sector referents will share experiences and discuss different aspects of gastronomy under the guidance of the association presided over by chef María José San Román with the support of Alicante Capital Española de la Gastronomía.
The Councilor for Commerce, Hospitality, and Markets, Lidia López, inaugurates the MEG Congress on Sunday afternoon alongside San Román. The event features the presence of prominent professionals in the field of gastronomy such as the two Michelin stars María Marte, the disseminator María Jiménez Latorre, vice president of the association and also in charge of closing the congress, and the General Director of Food Industry, José Miguel Herrero, among others.
This meeting, which in the words of its president is «a turning point» in this key moment of MEG, is presented as a unique space to reflect on the major challenges and transformations of the sector. For two intense days, they will debate and make proposals around five key axes that define the present and future of gastronomy: regional cultural richness, gastronomic excellence, responsible tourism, leadership driven by women, and new leadership models in the kitchen and dining room.
The event will combine high-level panels, a gala with leading chefs, an informal networking meal; the presentation of the MEG 2025 Awards – designed by Paola Ribero and created by Lolo Garner -; and spaces for direct dialogue with the public, as well as a «Sound wine tasting on the piano.» It will be a space to reflect on the major challenges of the sector, from sustainability and excellence to responsible tourism and purposeful leadership. Also on cultural diversity as a gastronomic heritage, the redefinition of what we understand as excellence – beyond stars or rankings -, the transformative role of women throughout history and also those who do not appear in newspapers: farmers, breeders, bakers, home cooks, winemakers, and entrepreneurs who sustain the food and cultural system.
Among the professionals participating in the various panels are Nicoletta Negrini, Goyo González, Óscar Caballero, Juan Moll, María Lo, Carolina Álvarez, Melinda Padilla, Miki López, Carol Álvarez, Vicky Sevilla, Ángeles Ruíz, Concha Galán, José Escobar, Marina Vega Obregón, Federico Moncunill, Carmen González Llanos, and Lucía Velasco, among others.
The program can be downloaded from the website www.asociacionmeg.com, where, in addition to obtaining information about the association and being able to register as members, there is direct access to Eventbrite for ticket purchases (which can be purchased by session or for the set of activities, including the gala dinner at the Monastrell restaurant to taste some of the creations of renowned chefs such as Lara Roguez (Abarike), María Marte, Cristina Figueira, and Esperanza Cano (El Xato), Celia Jiménez (Celia Jiménez Restaurante) and María José San Román (Monastrell). They will be accompanied by sommelier Nuria España, who will pair the menu with Segura Viudas wines.
The Women in Gastronomy association (www.asociacionmeg.com) was founded in October 2018 in Alicante with the aim of achieving equity and making female talent visible in everything related to food, from production to preparation and distribution, and has more than 500 members throughout Spain.