The chef from Valladolid is the first Spaniard ever to win the World Tapas Competition, now celebrating its ninth edition. He earned the title after competing against fifteen top-level international chefs.
Soul Food Nights is an annual charity event organized in collaboration with Action Against Hunger, created with the aim of raising funds for people facing vulnerable situations. Each year, it brings together prestigious chefs from across the Spanish gastronomic scene who host charity dinners in fashion boutiques, art spaces, and other unique venues participating in the initiative.
Madrid, September 23rd, 2025 – Teo Rodríguez, winner of the World Tapas Competition – City of Valladolid, is taking part in a new edition of the charity food event Soul Food Nights. This fundraising initiative, in support of Action Against Hunger, was created to raise funds for people facing vulnerable situations.
Chef Teo Rodríguez of Restaurante Trasto attended the press conference on Monday, September 22nd, at the headquarters of Action Against Hunger, where he presented his award-winning tapa ‘Pucela Roll’ for guests to enjoy.
Chef Teo Rodríguez Brings His Award-Winning “Pucela Roll” to Soul Food Nights
With his Pucela Roll, Teo Rodríguez achieved three major victories. This tapa creation won the provincial competition, earned him the title of Best Tapa in Spain in 2023, and—as tradition dictates, with the national winner representing the country in the next edition—led him to victory at the 8th World Tapas Competition – City of Valladolid in 2024.
In addition to the pride of winning on home ground, he triumphed over fifteen outstanding chefs from countries such as Argentina, Canada, France, and Indonesia, becoming the first Spanish chef ever to win the global competition.
The tapa, which has sold over 100,000 units in Valladolid alone in just two years, is based on one of the region’s most iconic dishes: lechazo (roast suckling lamb). However, the idea was inspired by the popular New York pastry, the New York Roll, which combines croissant dough with chocolate and other toppings.
Pucela Roll is one of the standout bites offered by Teo Rodríguez and his team at Trasto, a venue with two clearly defined spaces: a laid back tavern featuring a bar, high tables and a terrace, and a bright, elegant main dining room. Each space represents a different, yet complementary, culinary style—but both are guided by the same core principle: top-quality ingredients and deep respect for seasonal cycles.
9th Edition of the National Tapas Championship and the International Tapas Competition –
Ciudad de Valladolid
What is it all about?
The Valladolid Tourism Board (Sociedad Mixta para la Promoción del Turismo de Valladolid, S.L.), in collaboration with the Provincial Association of Hospitality Entrepreneurs of Valladolid, is organizing for the 21st time the National Tapas Championship – Ciudad de Valladolid, and the International Tapas Competition, now in its 9th edition. The competitions will take place on November 10th, 11th and 12th at the Cúpula del Milenio, on the banks of the Pisuerga River.
National Championship
This call is open to active professionals from hospitality establishments across Spain where tapas and/or pinchos are served. Each participant presents a personal tapa or pincho, which will be judged by seven different juries. This year’s jury panel will be chaired by Paco Morales, from the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Noor.
International Competition
Each participant in this competition will present a single, original and unpublished tapa. There are direct finalists from the top three winners of the 2nd Tapas Competition of the Americas, the top three from the 1st Tapas Competition of Asia, the winner of the 1st Tapas Competition of the United Kingdom, the winner of the 3rd Tapas Competition of Mexico, and the winner of the 7th Tapas Competition of Oceania — all partners with whom the Valladolid Tourism Board has signed collaboration agreements.
The president of the jury for this edition will be Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, named Best Female Chef in the World 2025, from Restaurant Potong in Bangkok.
Winning tapas from both competitions will be offered to the public in establishments throughout Valladolid. These venues will clearly display the recognition of their award winning status in the International Tapas Competition and will mention the chef behind the winning creation.
12th Edition of Soul Food Nights
Around twenty renowned chefs will once again show their commitment to solidarity by creating unique menus served in highly distinctive, unexpected dining locations. These venues belong to the fashion and art sectors. The events will take place in Madrid and Barcelona, where guests will enjoy a gastronomic experience while supporting a vital cause.
Participating spaces for these dinners include boutiques, galleries, and iconic locations such as The Craft, Mimoki, Vistalegre, Semilla Food Studio, Plató Cenital, Galería Sara Caso, Frigicoll Showroom, Galería Santa Eulalia (Barcelona), WeCollect, Galería Moret, 9, Tienda Día Núñez de Balboa 32, Pangea, and Showroom Península Vinicultores. Each venue will be specially adapted to host this charity event.
This year, brands such as Playstation, TheFork, Dia, Pangea, Paypal, Lenovo, Habla, Interporc, and Moët have sponsored charity dinner tables.
The event will feature some of the most acclaimed chefs in Spain, who will continue this tradition by contributing their culinary talent to a charitable cause. Among them are Michelin-starred chefs including Coco Montes (Restaurant Pabú), Germán Espinosa and Paolo Casagrande (Restaurant MAE), Iñaki Aldrey (Restaurant Atempo), Carlos Maldonado (Restaurant Raíces), Miguel Carretero (Restaurant Santerra), Alejandro Serrano (Restaurant Alejandro Serrano), and Ramsés González (Restaurant CanCook).
Also participating are chefs such as Javier Goya (Triciclo), Rubén Hdez. Mosquero (EMI), Álvaro Castellanos and Iván Morales (Arzábal), Juanjo López (La Tasquita), Rober M. Foronda (Tripea), Víctor Corchado (Borona), Xune Andrade (Monte), Sergio Suazo (Bakan), Javi Estévez (La Tasquería), and Nino Redruello (Grupo La Ancha).
About Soul Food Nights
Soul Food Nights, now in its 12th edition, is an original concept by Mateo&Co in collaboration with Action Against Hunger. The goal is to raise funds to support people facing situations of vulnerability.
Some of the most renowned chefs in Spain’s culinary scene join the initiative every year, preparing charity dinners hosted in fashion boutiques, art galleries, and other specially selected venues.
This year, the proceeds will go specifically to programs supporting youth entrepreneurship and employment for young people at risk of social exclusion in Spain.
This unique event, which merges fashion, gastronomy and solidarity, has previously featured celebrated chefs such as Andoni Luis Aduriz, Diego Guerrero, and Pepa Muñoz, who brought their culinary talents to the kitchens of Soul Food Nights.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
November 10th, 11th and 12th M
10, 11 y 12 de noviembre
at the Cúpula del Milenio in Valladolid.
#TapasValladolid #TapasVLL2025 #SpainIsTapas
@spainistapas
ore information is available at www.concursonacionaltapas.com.
PRESS CONTACT
For press, interviews, consultancy and proposals:
Laura Rubio Vicente, Communications Department – Sociedad Mixta para la Promoción del Turismo de Valladolid, comunicacion@valladolidturismo.com, +34 983 219 310 Ext. 3475. Jessica Isidro, Mateo&Co, jessicai@mateoandco.es, +34 627 053 486.Laura Rubio Vicente, departamento de comunicación Sociedad Mixta para la Promoción del turismo de
Valladolid – comunicacion@valladolidturismo.com – Tel. 98 321 93 10 Ext. 3475
Jessica Isidro, Mateo&co – jessicai@mateoandco.es – Tel. 627 053 486
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de la identidad gastronómica española que manifiesta la versatilidad culinaria del país en dosis de degustación.