Pedro Sánchez named Best Chef at Spain’s 2026 National Gastronomy Awards

Herz — World Desk · 29 July 2026 at 14:15 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What we know

The Real Academia de Gastronomía has named Pedro Sánchez, owner of the Bagá restaurant in Jaén, Best Chef at Spain’s 2026 National Gastronomy Awards, according to El País.

Created in 1974, the awards recognise professionals who contribute to Spain’s gastronomic heritage across fields including cooking, front-of-house service, research, communication and management.

The jury highlighted Sánchez’s distinctive and recognisable cooking. It noted the restraint of his dishes, their limited number of ingredients and their pared-back technique.

A 45-square-metre restaurant in Jaén

Bagá occupies 45 square metres in central Jaén, Spain, and holds one Michelin star.

Other winners announced

Pilar Salas received the 2026 national award for communication. She worked for many years at the Spanish news agency Agencia EFE, where she led its food coverage.

She later headed the Vocento group’s 7 Caníbales website before recently returning to the agency.

Mohamed Benabdallah, who oversees front-of-house service and wine at Etxebarri in Axpe, in Spain’s Biscay province, was named Best Sommelier.

Born in Algeria in 1984, Benabdallah trained in Switzerland. He worked at Quique Dacosta and Mugaritz before joining Bittor Arginzoniz’s team at Etxebarri.

He manages a cellar of more than 400 wines selected to accompany Bittor Arginzoniz’s wood-fired cooking.

In 2025, Benabdallah received The World’s Best Sommelier Award from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, an annual restaurant ranking published by William Reed Business Media.

Front-of-house service and research

Casto Copete, the long-serving maître d’ at Nou Manolín in Alicante, was also recognised in 2026.

The jury cited his more than three decades of service, hospitality, discretion, excellence and work training other professionals.

The research award went to Josep Bernabeu Mestre, a physician and historian who teaches the history of science at the University of Alicante.

His work over several decades has helped establish food and gastronomy as subjects of historical, scientific and social study.

It has also contributed to the recognition of Spain’s cultural heritage.

Timeline of the 2026 awards

1. 2025
   Mohamed Benabdallah receives The World’s Best Sommelier Award from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
2. The winners of the two remaining categories are due to be announced.