The greater variety of raw materials in gastronomic markets, the increase in training in cooking schools, and the entrepreneurial spirit of new chefs are all to blame for this qualitative leap.
Signature cuisine , or nouvelle cuisine, is part of this growth, adding that essential touch, like a cherry on top of the varied and diverse Asturian cuisine as a whole; born first and foremost from its valleys and mountains, from fishing, hunting, livestock farming, and a very fertile vegetable garden that feeds everyone equally. This applies both to those who aim to make their kitchen a laboratory of bold ideas , in single-serving dishes and modified textures, and to those who were cooks before becoming friars, adding a new twist to their seasoned cuisine every day , capable of surprising even the most discerning gourmet with a solid authorship that, far from aspiring to extreme novelty, has been thoroughly tested over the years.
Both concepts of cooks integrate the Kitchen of Author in the Principality.
The fine details, professionalism and precision in techniques are its main qualities, maintaining in all cases a certain theory of the classic, extolling the fundamental pillars of regional gastronomy.
Wherever we are, the question always comes up: "Where can we eat well?" And the truth is, restaurants are popping up everywhere where you can eat your fill, a veritable showcase of good taste in every aspect. Welcoming, subtle establishments offering new Asturian cuisine with constantly evolving menus: tortillas in various textures, chorizo brick pastry with cider gel, a spoonful of Asturian stew, or a small glass of spider crab; seemingly daring dishes, but always guaranteed by local products; a good wine list and, in most cases, attentive service. Essential stops if you want to experience what's cooking in Asturias. With recipes evolved from the original: cream of fabada with Iberian ham shavings, cod with sea urchin sauce accompanied by black risotto, asparagus stuffed with seafood, creamy rice with lobster, torto with black pudding and apple scramble, red mullet fillets in menthol juice, strips of red meat with Iberian ham and Gamoneu cheese… and authentic pastry gems by the chefs, all sorts of house cakes, and to give just one example of culinary poetry: chocolate frixuelos filled with rice pudding and hazelnut mousse.
Gourmet restaurants abound in an autonomous community that has a solid base of establishments, many of them betting on quality in large halls prepared for banquets, in small and exclusive rooms, in modern dining rooms for a public that seeks new environments, and many places that maintain their usual headquarters, without too many artifices, because the excellences of their cuisine are design enough.
Michelin Star Restaurants
The new Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2025 increases the number of stars in Asturias. Read more
Equally important is the development of a local cuisine, traditionally prepared but extravagant in its offerings, featuring foreign products such as kangaroo steak or grilled ostrich. Asturias is also following the general trend across the country: the establishment of restaurants offering recipes from all five continents , with the well-known rise of Asian cuisine, particularly in the major Asturian cities.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
