The XI Costa del Sol Espetos Contest will be held on August 2 in Torremolinos.

The final of the 11th Espetos Contest of the Costa del Sol will take place on August 2nd at Costa Lago Beach in Torremolinos, where this year's best espetero will be chosen. The competition is being held for the eighth year with the support of the Provincial Council through Sabor a Málaga, the promotional brand for the province's agri-food products. This Thursday, the poster and the jury for the competition were presented at the Victoria Beer Factory, where the Espeto de Honor was also awarded to the Costa del Sol Beach Association. The event was attended by provincial deputy Luis Rodríguez, alongside the mayor of Torremolinos, Margarita del Cid; the president of the Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol, Manuel Cardeña; and Adolfo Trigueros, president of the Torremolinos Business Circle, the organizing entity of the event. The deputy highlighted the importance of valuing "one of the most representative expressions of Malaga's popular gastronomy and a demanding profession that is a symbol of our beach bars and beaches." In this regard, he recalled that the Provincial Council has supported since its inception in 2018 the candidacy of the culinary technique of sardine espeto to be recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. During the presentation of the 11th Espetos Contest of the Costa del Sol, the Espeto de Honor was awarded, this year given to the Costa del Sol Beach Association, and was collected by its president, Manuel Villafaina. The jury, as every year, will be made up of professionals from the gastronomic sector. In this edition, the jury will include Nacho Sandoval, Arantxa López, Txema Palacio, Irene Garrido Lomeña, José Antonio Gómez Gutiérrez, Mª Carmen Hernández Lamas, and Carlos Navarro. Nacho Sandoval, an expert in gastronomic marketing with over 25 years of experience, has led business projects and advised companies and entrepreneurs. An active member of gastronomic institutions and considered one of the 25 most influential figures in Spanish gastronomy for several years, he has created gastronomic routes to energize the hospitality industry and add value to local products. Arantxa López, founder of GastronÓmico, has extensive experience connecting brands, destinations, and people through gastronomic experiences. Txema Palacio, corporate chef of Besaya Group, directs the gastronomic identity of his current restaurants: Tikitano by Besaya, Besaya Beach, Malva Beach, and Paraíso del Mar, in addition to five future projects. Trained at the Higher School of Hospitality of Bilbao and with more than 30 years of experience, including Michelin restaurants in Spain and France, his cuisine is based on the product, Andalusian tradition, and a contemporary approach. Irene Garrido Lomeña, an experienced chef in high-end restaurants, has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Michelin Plate for four years and the Innovation Award. José Antonio Gómez Gutiérrez, director of Cope Marbella, is also an experienced espetero with more than 600 kilos of sardines under his belt. Mª Carmen Hernández Lamas, promotes Malaga recipes and traditions through her blog Recetas Casa Carmen. She collaborates with Sabor a Málaga and the Carta Malacitana, and has participated in contests and television programs. Carlos Navarro, a master of sushi, represented Spain at the World Sushi Cup 2016 in Tokyo, where he achieved an outstanding 5th place. He combines Japanese tradition with Mediterranean flavor, creating high-precision and high-quality sushi. The Espetos Contest of the Costa del Sol held two semifinals in Mijas and Torre del Mar on May 24th and June 28th. Espeteros from the 14 municipalities of the Eastern and Western Costa del Sol participated: Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Estepona, Manilva, Casares, Rincón de la Victoria, Vélez-Málaga, Algarrobo, Torrox, and Nerja. The twelve finalists qualified in the semifinals will compete on August 2nd for the title of best espetero of 2025, a prize endowed with 1,000 euros. Additionally, the jury will award a second and third prize endowed with 500 and 300 euros. Each contestant will cook two pieces: a sardine espeto and another of a fish of their choice. To select the winners, the jury will take into account criteria such as working time, homogeneity of fish cooking, texture, flavor, salt point, or presentation. The day will begin at 6:00 PM. The competition will start at 7:15 PM, and from 9:00 PM there will be a popular espetada for all attendees. At 10:00 PM the awards ceremony will take place, and from 10:30 PM until dawn there will be musical performances by Los Papitos and DJ Toulalan.