The jury of the competition, held within the framework of the largest food and beverage fair, acknowledged the mastery of Frutos Jiménez, who prepares the dish entirely by hand and in front of diners. The news of his victory brought an emotional reaction from the chef, who could not hold back tears of joy.
“"Everyone was telling us that we had one of the best gazpachuelos in Málaga, but well."
This was Jiménez's first foray into a culinary competition, a step that, according to him, did not make him nervous, possibly due to his daily experience serving hundreds of people. His technique, which involves assembling the gazpachuelo at high speed and live, without the use of appliances like Thermomix or blenders, notably impressed the jury.
The secret to his recipe, according to the chef himself, lies in the simplicity and quality of the ingredients: fresh rock fish, cooked for fifteen minutes to extract all the collagen, an excellent quality potato, and a very thick mayonnaise, made with 70% sunflower oil and 30% olive oil. The critical point is to bind the fish with the mayonnaise, maintaining the same temperature to prevent it from curdling, something Jiménez masters perfectly.
Despite his confidence, the cook confessed to having a moment of tension during the mayonnaise preparation, which initially would not emulsify. After overcoming this small setback and learning the verdict, emotion once again overwhelmed him, as he thanked his family and those who have always believed in him.
