The chef Macarena de Castro has received the Sobrassada d’Or 2026 – Excel·lència de Mallorca award, a distinction granted by the Consell de Mallorca and the IGP Sobrassada de Mallorca. The jury of the Sobrassada d’Or 2026 wished to recognise the career of Macarena de Castro for her constant defence of local produce and her contribution to the promotion of Mallorcan gastronomy both on and beyond the island.
Andreu Palou, president of the IGP Sobrassada de Mallorca; Llorenç Galmés, president of the Consell de Mallorca; Macarena de Castro; and Pilar Amate, councillor for Economic Promotion and Local Development. Photo: Consell de Mallorca.
Born in Mallorca in 1981, Macarena de Castro has become one of the most recognised chefs in Spain. Trained at the Escola d’Hosteleria de les Illes Balears, she worked alongside leading figures in gastronomy such as Andoni Luis Aduriz and gained experience in prestigious kitchens such as El Celler de Can Roca.
She currently runs the restaurant Maca de Castro, in Port d’Alcúdia, which holds one Michelin star, three Repsol Suns and the Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability and local produce.
Sobrassada d’Or 2026 for “commitment to our land”
The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, presented the award during an institutional event held at Can Tàpera, which brought together institutional representatives, farming organisations, producers and quality brands from the island. The Sobrassada d’Or 2026 presentation was also attended by the councillor for Economic Promotion and Local Development, Pilar Amate; the president of the IGP Sobrassada de Mallorca, Andreu Palou; and the island director for Economic Promotion and Product of Mallorca, Álvaro Roca.
During his speech, Llorenç Galmés highlighted “the commitment shown by Macarena de Castro to our land, masterfully linking haute cuisine with local produce”, and also praised “the passion and respect for local ingredients” present in her cooking.
For her part, Pilar Amate said that the Mallorcan chef represents “a working philosophy that seeks to make known the authenticity of what is ours and support for local produce”. The councillor also described sobrassada de Mallorca as one of the island’s great gastronomic symbols.
An award with values
The Sobrassada d’Or 2026 recognises people or organisations that represent values such as roots, quality, tradition and a connection with Mallorca’s typical produce. Macarena de Castro’s cuisine is characterised by reinterpreting Mallorcan gastronomic tradition from a contemporary perspective, always with local ingredients from the Balearic Islands at the forefront.
The piece presented in this second edition was created by the artist from Felanitx Jaume Canet and represents a “bisbe”, one of the most distinctive varieties of sobrassada de Mallorca, known for its large size and long curing process.
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