A weekend with tuna as the protagonist in the Port of Pollença

Tuna, at the center of everything

The Port of Pollença was once again filled with people this weekend for the second edition of Sabors de la Badia, a gastronomic event that has already become one of the main showcases for local produce and seafood cuisine. Throughout Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of people passed through Saralegui promenade and Gabriel Roca engineer's square, in an edition marked by the atmosphere, gastronomy, and the absolute prominence of red tuna fished in the Balearic Islands.

The exhibition, promoted by the Pollença City Council, the Fishermen's Guild, and the Balearic government, has made a clear commitment to the chefs of Mallorca and especially to the restaurants of El Moll and the bay. One of the most discussed aspects during the weekend was precisely the gastronomic level of the tapas and 'showcookings', with many attendees highlighting the quality of the produce and the way the chefs worked the tuna in very different formats.

Local chefs and first-class gastronomy

Among the notable names were chefs such as Santi Taura, Marga Coll, Pau Sintes and Anders Erlandsson, in addition to restaurants like Miceli, U Vicenç, Terrae, La Cantina del Moll Nou, Stay, Corb Marí, IRU, Nu Mallorca and Shima by Four Seasons Formentor. Gastronomic workshops and tastings were constant throughout the day, always with pairings from Mallorcan wineries.

Chef David Rivas, from the Terrae restaurant in Port de Pollença, also participated, recognized with a Green Michelin Star for his commitment to sustainability and local produce. Rivas offered various gastronomic workshops, both in the main marquee and on a boat, and highlighted that initiatives like this serve "to build community," share gastronomy, and give recognition to tuna and local products.

The ronquejos and auctions, one of the great attractions

One of the most anticipated moments was the live tuna ronqueo by Toni Fiol, from BlueFin Balear. This traditional Japanese technique consists of the complete butchering of the tuna and gets its name from the noise the knives make when rubbing against the fish's spine. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the marquee to follow live how a tuna was dismantled piece by piece before the subsequent auctions.

The auctions also had a solidarity component. The three tuna auctioned over the weekend were sponsored by Rotary Club Pollença, Enjoy Pollensa, and Licors Moyà, and the profits will be donated to social entities such as PRODIS, AFAMA, and ABAIMAR.

Activities and promotion of local produce

In addition to gastronomy, the program also included live music, children's activities, and educational spaces from the Oceanographic Center of the Balearic Islands under the slogan 'Balearic Islands, cradle of tuna'.

During the activities and events of the weekend, both the Pollença Hotel Association and collaborating companies have claimed the importance of creating synergies between restaurants, companies, and local entities to continue promoting local products and strengthening the link between gastronomy and territory.

After the success of the first edition, Sabors de la Badia continues to take steps to consolidate itself as one of the outstanding gastronomic events of the spring in Port de Pollença.