Diego René, chef of the restaurant René, will fight to represent Spain in the prestigious XII Jerez Cup

Diego René, chef of the restaurant René in Málaga, will be one of the main protagonists at the National Final of the XII Copa Jerez, one of the most significant international pairing competitions in the gastronomic scene. The chef from Málaga will compete on next Tuesday, June 16 alongside sommelier Jesús Rioboo to become the Spanish representative at the next International Final of Copa Jerez Competition, scheduled in Jerez de la Frontera in 2027. He will face two other finalist teams: Aleia (**), from Barcelona, with Jean Pierre Lapenna and Patricio Planells; and Monastrell (*), from Alicante, with Víctor Duque and Nuria España.

The selection of René marks a new step in the career of Diego René and positions his Málaga project within the national map of high cuisine linked to wine, the dining room, and pairing. His participation comes, moreover, at a key moment for the restaurant, conceived as a proposal of contemporary Mediterranean haute cuisine with a strong maritime inspiration and a unique interpretation of the territory.

A proposal that unites Alicante, Málaga, and Jerez

For this final, René will defend the Iodized Meridian menu: Alicante, Málaga, Jerez, a proposal built from the influence of the sea, salinity, and the dialogue between cuisine and wine.

The journey will begin with Matrimonio malagueño, harmonized with Fino Viña Corrales Pago Balbaína from Bodega San Francisco Javier. As the main course, Diego René will present a Monkfish Wellington, which will pair with a Palo Cortado Solera Familiar from Gutiérrez Colosía. The menu will conclude with a ñora pepper flan with salted caramel ice cream, paired with Moscatel Pasas from Bodegas César Florido.

The proposal from René traces a journey along the Mediterranean coast, from Alicante to Málaga, and finds in Jerez the unifying point through its wines. More than a sequence of dishes, the menu presents a territorial interpretation where sea products, technique, and dining service work in unison.

The national final

The National Final of the XII Copa Jerez will be held on the upcoming June 16 at the EIGO-Center, International Space for Gastronomy and Leisure, at the School of Hospitality in Jerez de la Frontera.

During the competition, the three teams must prepare and defend before the jury a three-course menu (starter, main, and dessert) paired with Sherry or Manzanilla wines. The test will require technical precision, conceptual coherence, and a clear defense of the role of wine as an essential part of the gastronomic discourse.

The jury will be composed of sommelier and wine critic for ABC Pilar Cavero; Robert Tetas, sommelier trained at El Celler de Can Roca (***) and currently leading the restaurant Sobretablas, in Seville, alongside Camila Ferraro; José Ferrer, ambassador for the gastronomy of the Regulatory Council of Wines of Jerez; and Juanlu Fernández, chef of the Jerez restaurant Lu, Cocina y Alma, with two Michelin Stars.

The winning team will be responsible for representing Spain at the International Final of Copa Jerez Competition 2027, where they will compete alongside the winning teams from seven other countries.

Jerez, capital of wine and gastronomy

This year's national edition of Copa Jerez takes place in a context particularly relevant for the city, coinciding with Jerez de la Frontera being the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy. This setting reinforces the city's role as a top enogastronomic destination and highlights the importance of Sherry wines as one of the great international gastronomic heritages. In this scenario, the participation of Diego René López and Jesús Rioboo connects Málaga with Jerez through a proposal that understands pairing as a creative tool and not just a simple accompaniment.

The new edition once again brings together restaurants capable of understanding the relationship between cuisine, wine, and dining service as an exercise in precision, sensitivity, and gastronomic storytelling. In this context, the restaurant René reaches the final with a proposal of strong Mediterranean identity and with Diego René as one of the names to follow within the new high Malaga cuisine.

The winning team of the National Final will represent Spain at the International Final of Copa Jerez, within Copa Jerez Forum & Competition, where they will face the winning teams from seven other countries. This meeting gathers chefs, sommeliers, oenologists, and international experts around the gastronomic potential of Sherry wines, consolidating as a platform for global projection for the participating restaurants and as a space for exchange between cuisine, wine, dining service, and gastronomic thought.