While many destinations struggle with rising costs and fading demand, Andorra builds momentum: a tiny Pyrenean nation hosting global chefs and proving that hospitality can thrive on vision and collaboration.
A continent under pressure
Across Europe, hoteliers and restaurateurs are caught in a familiar loop: rising energy costs, staff shortages, declining margins. Too often, the conversation turns into a lament — about absent guests, tax burdens, and a shrinking workforce. And then there is Andorra. A nation of barely 80,000 people, perched high in the Pyrenees, quietly making a global statement: hospitality can thrive, if you dare to reimagine it.
Andorra Taste – high mountain gastronomy goes global
From 17 to 21 September 2025, Andorra Taste celebrates its fourth edition. What began as an ambitious experiment has become a fixed point in Europe’s gastronomic calendar. This year, the Alps join as guest region, opening dialogue between the Pyrenees, the Caucasus, the Balkans and beyond. The professional program in Escaldes-Engordany focuses on sustainability, forgotten recipes and alpine identity — treating mountain cuisine as heritage, economic engine and cultural expression.
Global stars, local pride
- Ferran Adrià (elBulli Foundation) — honoured with the 2025 Andorra Taste Award.
- Oriol Castro (Disfrutar) — World’s Best Restaurant in recent years.
- Emmanuel Renaut (Flocons de Sel) — president of Toquicimes, voice of French alpine cuisine.
- Uroš Štefelin (Hiša Linhart) — revitalising Slovenian alpine gastronomy.
- Zineb Hattab (KLE) — pioneer of vegan haute cuisine in Switzerland.
Andorra’s own chefs step forward, too: Hideki Matsuhisa (Koy Hermitage), Jordi Grau (Ibaya), Carles Flinch (Can Manel) and others — proof that a tiny destination can stage a world-class dialogue without losing its roots.
Hospitality as the real stage
Festivals like Andorra Taste are not just about food. They turn hotels and restaurants into platforms for culture and commerce, while local farmers and winemakers gain visibility they would never achieve alone. In short: events convert identity into business — filling rooms, creating jobs and repositioning a place from “small country” to “serious destination”.
A message to Europe
The contrast is striking. While many destinations debate problems, Andorra is crafting solutions. It shows that purpose and collaboration are practical levers of competitiveness. The real test comes next year: can Andorra Taste maintain its standard, keep attracting top talent and stay relevant as Europe’s hospitality climate shifts?
Conclusion — less excuses, more action
Andorra Taste is more than a culinary gathering. It is a blueprint for Europe’s hospitality sector: innovate with purpose, connect with producers, celebrate tradition while embracing sustainability. The lesson is simple: stop lamenting what is missing. Start creating what is possible.
Hospitality has a future — if we choose to build it.