Clients in the U.S., Mexico, Colombia and Peru enjoyed the cuisine of the restaurant named the world's best in 2013

MADRID, Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Three chefs, four countries and six cities: The BBVA-El Celler de Can Roca tour, the gastronomic event of the year, ended last week with the chefs of the restaurant named the best in the world in 2013 preparing nearly 50,000 dishes for 2,700 BBVA customers and guests. The unprecedented feat once again placed Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca and BBVA at the forefront of innovation in their respective fields.

The BBVA-El Celler de Can Roca tour started on Aug. 1 and stopped in Houston, Dallas, Monterrey, Mexico City, Bogota and Lima on a journey conceived as a tribute to local gastronomy, with four menus designed specifically for each country. Up to 200 ingredients and 29 wines were used for each menu.

After spending months investigating the most characteristic ingredients of each region, the Roca brothers prepared 56 dishes and drinks, from a pisco sour chocolate in Peru to a barbecue sauce donut in Texas. A team of nearly 40 chefs and waiters were behind the creative and logistical challenge.

"It's been a pleasure for BBVA to partner with the Roca brothers to pay tribute to America's gastronomy, and offer at the same time a unique experience to our customers. El Celler de Can Roca is synonymous with innovation and excellence, two values we at BBVA fully identify with, and we're already working to repeat this tour in other countries and continents and once again bring the magic of the best restaurant in the world in 2013 to thousands of our customers throughout the world," said Ignacio Moliner, BBVA's Brand & Communication Director.

"We're happy," Joan Roca summed up. "It's been tough at times, but we'll remember this tour for the rest of our lives and we want to repeat it next year. We've learned a great deal, and we had a warm welcome in all these countries. We're taking back home with us flavors and aromas that will no doubt become part of our future and our cuisine. We're very grateful to BBVA for placing its trust in us and making our challenge possible, and to all the chefs, producers and friends who've helped us make this dream come true. And of course, to the entire team of our restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, because without them, without their hard work and capacity to adapt, all this would have been impossible to achieve."

The Peruvian capital, one of the Americas' foremost gastronomic centers, hosted the last stage of the tour. In Lima, more than 3,000 people attended the dinners, conferences and events organized by BBVA Continental.

Sommelier and maitre d' Josep Roca described the Lima finale as "fantastic, an incredible and very enriching experience. It's allowed us to rediscover the huge variety of Peruvian cuisine, one of the country's greatest strengths."

A social tour

BBVA and El Celler de Can Roca were assisted by various culinary schools, from which two students in each city will be selected to enjoy a four-month internship at the Girona, Spain-based restaurant.

The youngest brother, Jordi Roca, who was named the world's best pastry chef this year, said the close links with universities and schools were key to the journey's success. "For us it was essential to become involved with the training centers because the title of our tour is 'Haute Cuisine with Values.'"

The desserts, along with the wines, also played a central role in the 2014 BBVA-El Celler de Can Roca tour. New interpretations of traditional confectionery and local wines together with some imported from Europe combined perfectly to highlight the qualities of choice fruit, vegetables, meat and fish from local producers. Mescal and pisco, chocolate and plantain fused in the universe created by the best chefs in the world, on a journey that will be indelibly engraved in the history of world gastronomy.

All the information, pictures and videos on the BBVA-El Celler de Can Roca tour are available on www.bbvacellertour.com

About BBVA

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, is the largest financial institution in Mexico and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Its diversified business is focused on high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial literacy and inclusion, and supports research and culture. BBVA operates with the highest integrity and a long-term vision and applies the best practices. It is listed on the main sustainability indexes.

For more information about BBVA, go to: http://prensa.bbva.com/

SOURCE BBVA Compass