EROSKI and Basque Culinary Center have once again promoted, for the fifth consecutive year, the “EROSKI–BCC Onenak Awards”, which aim to support projects by members of the BCC alumni community who are transforming the way food and gastronomy are understood, and who stand out for their commitment to local produce, sustainability, and innovation—values shared by both entities. In this edition, the awardees are Esther Merino, a pioneer in the development of NoLo (non-alcoholic) beverages and artisanal fermentation techniques; Lola Palacio, co-founder alongside Iñaki Gómez of Restaurante Alenda in Castiello de Selorio (Villaviciosa, Asturias); and Jon Iñaki Yurrebaso, owner of the Mendi Goikoa Bekoa restaurant-hotel located in Axpe (Bizkaia).

The awards ceremony took place today at the Basque Culinary Center in Miramón (Donostia–San Sebastián) and was attended, on behalf of the institution, by Joxe Mari Aizega, General Director of the Basque Culinary Center; Vicente Atxa, President of the Basque Culinary Center Board of Trustees and Rector of Mondragon Unibertsitatea; and on behalf of EROSKI, Rosa Carabel, CEO of the cooperative; and Asun Bastida, Director of Institutional Relations and Corporate Communication of the Group. Representatives of the Basque Government and the Government of Navarre were also present, along with the current mayor of Donostia, Jon Insausti. In addition, more than one hundred professionals from the agri-food industry, institutions, associations, and media outlets were able to attend this gathering and enjoy a unique gastronomic experience, tasting dishes and beverages prepared by the three awardees.

During her speech, Rosa Carabel highlighted the innovation-tradition duality: “At EROSKI we innovate without losing sight of our roots, working hand in hand with our local producers, with whom we share a common vision: to preserve the gastronomic richness of our regions, protect biodiversity, and keep alive the traditional practices that are part of our identity. We believe tradition is a source of inspiration for building the future, and that is why today we recognize those who preserve the best of our gastronomy while also daring to imagine what is yet to come.”

 

For his part, Joxe Mari Aizega emphasized: “For the fifth consecutive year we are presenting the EROSKI–BCC Onenak Awards, an initiative created to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit and outstanding work being carried out by many of our alumni in areas such as local produce, sustainability, health, and innovation. The consolidation of these awards is the best proof of the young talent trained in our classrooms. Developing this initiative together with EROSKI reflects a shared commitment to the new generations who will shape the future of gastronomy and food.”

2025 awarded talents

Esther Merino, graduate in Gastronomy and Culinary Arts from the Basque Culinary Center, is a pioneer in NoLo (non-alcoholic) beverages and artisanal fermentation techniques. After training experiences in restaurants such as Noma and Alchemist in Copenhagen, she founded BOWS, a gastronomic consultancy with its own methodology. She has been a lecturer at the Basque Culinary Center and recently launched Sagarmut, a vermouth developed with the Basque cider house Zapiain. Her work focuses on creating healthy alternatives to industrial soft drinks using local and seasonal ingredients, representing the sector’s transformation towards more sustainable beverages that combine tradition and innovation while generating value in the territory.

Lola Palacio, trained in the Master’s in Restaurant Innovation and Management at the Basque Culinary Center, is co-owner with Iñaki Gómez of Restaurante Alenda in Castiello de Selorio, Villaviciosa (Asturias). After six years of experience working with Ricardo Sotres at El Retiro de Pancar, she opened Alenda in 2023, earning recognition from the Michelin Guide and a Repsol Sun, consolidating herself as a reference in Asturian gastronomy. Her proposal is based on a comprehensive model of sustainability and zero-kilometre cuisine: fresh fish from the Lastres fish market and vegetables from their own garden. Personalized service and a welcoming atmosphere connect diners with the Asturian environment, demonstrating how young entrepreneurs are leading the shift towards more sustainable and conscious territorial models.

Finally, Jon Iñaki Yurrebaso holds a degree in Culinary Sciences and Arts from the Basque Culinary Center and is the owner of the restaurant and hotel Mendi Goikoa Bekoa, located in the village of Axpe in Bizkaia. He is considered one of the “100 young talents of gastronomy.” After training experiences with the Torres brothers and Dani García, he launched his own project at the age of 26, opening Mendi Goikoa Bekoa in 2021 during the pandemic. His work has been recognized with a Repsol Sun. His proposal is based on recovering Basque culinary culture using local and seasonal products, with a strong focus on grilling. His commitment to the territory and sustainability is reflected in his support for local producers, contributing to the economic development of the area.

Across the different editions of the EROSKI–BCC Onenak Awards, a committee of experts has selected professionals trained in degrees, master’s programs, or professional courses at the Basque Culinary Center who have launched their own projects committed to innovation, sustainability, and local produce—three core pillars of local gastronomy and the future of food, actively promoted by both institutions in all their initiatives.

 

About EROSKI

EROSKI is one of the leading distribution groups in northern Spain—from Galicia to the Balearic Islands—with a 12.7% market share in that area; it is the leader in the Basque Country, Navarre, and Galicia, and co-leader in the Balearic Islands. Its commercial network, as of the end of 2024, totals 1,502 establishments, including supermarkets, hypermarkets, cash & carry stores, and online supermarkets, as well as service stations, sports stores, and other non-food businesses. It also has more than 6.4 million customer-members and a workforce of more than 27,600 people, of whom nearly 9,000 are worker-members.

 

About Basque Culinary Center

Basque Culinary Center forms a unique ecosystem where education, innovation, research, and entrepreneurship coexist with the aim of developing and promoting gastronomy, understood as the reasoned knowledge of what we eat and how we eat it. Its mission is based on values such as passion, innovation, a commitment to excellence, and social responsibility.

Located in Donostia–San Sebastián since 2011, the pioneering institution has developed its Gastronomy 360º vision through various high-impact initiatives. Today, Basque Culinary Center has become a major international project consisting of the Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences, where a degree in gastronomy and 13 master’s programs are offered; GOe–Gastronomy Open Ecosystem, where talent, knowledge, and innovation converge to promote a tasty, healthy, and sustainable food system; and EDA Drinks & Wine Campus, an initiative aimed at strengthening the wine and beverage sector through education, research, innovation, and support for entrepreneurship.