'Nobel of Gastronomy' Expands Reach in 11th Edition The Basque Culinary World Prize (BCWP) will announce its 2026 winner on Sunday, November 8, in Curitiba, Brazil, marking a significant shift in the award's scope. Now in its eleventh year, the €100,000 prize is broadening recognition beyond chefs to encompass diverse professionals advancing social change through gastronomy. The announcement will be livestreamed starting at 08:30 Brazil time (12:30 CET / 11:30 UK) from the Curitiba 2026 event, with the winner revealed at noon local time. The program brings together internationally recognized culinary figures including Joan Roca of Spain's three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca, Dominique Crenn (the first female chef in the US to earn three Michelin stars), and Brazil's Manu Buffara, named Latin America's Best Female Chef in 2022.

Prize Recognizes Broader Impact Since its founding in 2016 by the Basque Culinary Center and the Basque Government, the BCWP has recognized individuals whose work drives positive change in innovation, health, education, sustainability, and social and economic development. Winners receive €100,000 to direct toward an initiative of their choice. Past recipients exemplify the prize's mission. José Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, delivering emergency meals to communities affected by natural disasters. Jock Zonfrillo's Orana Foundation preserved and promoted Indigenous Australian food knowledge. Anthony Myint's Zero Foodprint channels restaurant funding into regenerative agriculture to fight climate change. Leticia Landa's La Cocina trains low-income and immigrant entrepreneurs, mostly women, in San Francisco's food sector.

Why It Matters

The expansion of the BCWP to recognize all food-sector professionals—not just chefs—reflects the industry's growing acknowledgment that gastronomy's social impact extends across supply chains, education, advocacy, and humanitarian work. For operators and investors, this shift signals that culinary excellence increasingly merges with measurable social outcomes.

For more insights and trends in the food and beverage sector, check out more articles in The Food & Beverage Magazine family of publications.

Written by FBM Publications Editors

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the 2026 Basque Culinary World Prize winner announced?

Sunday, November 8, 2026, in Curitiba, Brazil at noon local time. The livestream starts at 08:30 Brazil time (12:30 CET / 11:30 UK) from the Curitiba 2026 event.

What's the prize money and who decides how it's spent?

Winners receive €100,000 with complete discretion to direct it toward an initiative of their choice. That's been the structure since the award's 2016 founding by the Basque Culinary Center and Basque Government.

Who's on the judging panel for the 2026 award?

The program includes Joan Roca of El Celler de Can Roca (three Michelin stars), Dominique Crenn (first female US chef with three Michelin stars), and Manu Buffara, named Latin America's Best Female Chef in 2022.

Has the BCWP criteria changed in this 11th edition?

Yes—the prize now recognizes diverse food-sector professionals beyond chefs, including those advancing social change through innovation, health, education, sustainability, and economic development. It's a meaningful pivot from its original chef-focused model.

What have past BCWP winners actually done with their €100,000?

José Andrés founded World Central Kitchen for disaster relief meals; Jock Zonfrillo launched Orana Foundation to preserve Indigenous Australian food knowledge; Anthony Myint built Zero Foodprint channeling restaurant funding into regenerative agriculture; Leticia Landa used it for La Cocina, training low-income immigrant entrepreneurs in San Francisco's food sector.