Since 2014, Galicia has hosted a competition that selects the most outstanding young chef. Organized by Galicia Fórum Gastronómico, it has seen some of the most notable names of the last two decades in the northwest’s culinary scene grace its stage, such as Lucía Freitas (A Tafona, Santiago de Compostela), Lydia del Olmo and Xosé Magalhaes (Ceibe, Ourense), or Fernando Rodríguez and Eva Guzmán (O Secadeiro, Outes).
In this edition, for the first time, the contest moved away from its usual venue in A Coruña to Vigo, where a final was held in which five young talents of Galician cuisine vied to be recognized as Cook of the Year in Galicia.
The accolade ultimately went to Antón Castro, of Casa Gaibor, a traditional restaurant in the province of Lugo, but it also points us toward professionals who are shaping the future of Galician cuisine and who are reliable leads for exploring the latest from Galician restaurants this summer.
Antón Castro (Casa Gaibor)
His restaurant, Casa Gaibor, is not a newcomer, although the era led by this young chef, the third generation of the family at the helm, has barely two years of operation. Antón cooked, among others, under the guidance of Francis Paniego at Marqués de Riscal and of Lucía Freitas at A Tafona, before returning to his hometown to take charge of the kitchens of the family home.
Strategically located at the foot of the A-6, which connects Galicia with the plateau, halfway between Lugo and A Coruña and just a stone’s throw from the highway that leads to Asturias, Casa Gaibor is the perfect stop to immerse yourself in Galician cuisine, both the most traditional, still present on the restaurant’s menu, and that other, based on locally sourced produce and more innovative, which the chef masters. Don’t miss its monumental oven-baked fishes.
Antón Castro is having an unforgettable 2026. In addition to being named Cook of the Year in Galicia, he was chosen by the Basque Culinary Center that same week as one of the 100 Young Talents in Spanish Gastronomy of this year.
Andrés Torreiro (D’Obra)
Another place not to miss, if you have the chance, is located in Melide, a town that is a must-stop for many reasons: its small historic center, its location in central Galicia, which places it a stone’s throw from almost everything, its traditional pastries, and the passing of the Camino de Santiago.
