The final week of the UAL Summer Courses commenced amidst days of mourning for the victims of the fire in Los Gallardos and Bédar. Out of respect, no official inauguration was held for the programs starting this Monday. In one of these courses, special remembrance was given to Alejandro Bonetti, co-director of ‘Advances in Mediterranean Diet and Healthy Living. Culinary Medicine,’ who passed away less than two months ago.
His co-director, Lorena Gutiérrez, welcomed the enrolled participants and dedicated words to Dr. Bonetti, whom she described as one of the foremost disseminators of the Mediterranean diet not just as a way of eating, but as a lifestyle. The course, fully prepared by both directors before Bonetti's passing, combines the science of Mediterranean nutrition with practical cooking, exploring its health benefits, chronic disease prevention, and the role of local products like extra virgin olive oil and the fruits and vegetables produced in Almería.
The course aims to transform cooking into a therapeutic tool through workshops and the creation of healthy dishes and menus. Health and gastronomy professionals have gathered to promote flavorful and medicinal eating, based on the principle that 21st-century gastronomy should be healthy, supportive, sustainable, satisfying, and sociable. The issue of food waste is also addressed to raise awareness about more sustainable cooking practices.
Antonio Gázquez, a chef and collaborator on the course, spoke of the day's somber mood, marked by the tragedy in Los Gallardos and Bédar and the absence of Alejandro Bonetti. "Precisely the fire and all these deaths occurred very close to where he also lived," he noted. Gázquez highlighted Bonetti's "emphasis and enthusiasm" for this course, which was "emblematic for him." He added, "Those of us who were so close to him will ensure that, if he is watching from somewhere, he feels completely happy."
Gázquez recalled his long collaboration with Dr. Bonetti, spanning over twenty years, during which they developed significant work on the Mediterranean diet and healthy living. Together, they ventured into "culinary medicine," emphasizing the idea that "we are what we eat" and that "health begins in the kitchen." He pointed out the general public's lack of awareness regarding daily dietary choices, comparing food to "fuel" that must be consumed consciously, and reiterating that the Mediterranean diet "is not just food, it's a way of life."
The inaugural day featured a dual presentation by Antonio Gázquez. In the morning, he delivered the lecture ‘Culinary Medicine: The Ideal Antidote to the Avalanche of Processed Foods,’ alongside Miguel Ruiz-Canela, deputy director of the Institute of Nutrition and Health at the University of Navarra. In the afternoon, he led the workshop ‘Gastronomy of Excellence in the Mediterranean Diet.’
Gázquez and Ruiz-Canela explained that "countries where the Mediterranean diet is prevalent do not suffer as many health problems as countries with more aggressive culinary and gastronomic approaches." Gázquez praised Almería as "the place where one eats best in all of Spain," highlighting the quality of its fruits and vegetables and the simplicity of its cuisine, which should be "very light" for the body's benefit.
Regarding food waste, Gázquez cited a statistic: "45% of the waste that ends up in the trash is organic matter." He recalled his previous project, ‘Nothing is left over here,’ which demonstrated how spectacular dishes could be created from food scraps, resulting in annual savings of 4,000 to 5,000 euros for a family of four or five. He emphasized the importance of using leftovers in the Mediterranean diet, as many discarded products are integral to it.
