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Adán Corrales from Cadiz has won the II Campeonato Nacional de Profesionales de Sala (II national championships of restaurant professionals)

The association has awarded a prize to De Lara for FENAVIN’s organization.

Adán Corrales, from Escuela de Hostelería de Cádiz won the II National Championships of Restaurant Professionals "Trofeo Julián Luna" which was held this morning, with a lot of expectation from the audience, at the National Wine Fair, FENAVIN 2005.

During the awards presentation, FENAVIN president, Nemesio de Lara, praised the work of the restaurant professionals. "Nowadays worthy people are people who are able to serve. There is nothing more dignifying for the human being than serving others, especially, as it is your case, when it is done in a professional manner."

Previously, De Lara gave thanks for the award he received as president of the National Wine Fair. This way, the National Association of Restaurant Professionals recognizes the support for the sector from the first FENAVIN edition. "Your trade show is a must, a meeting point to get to know the wine world or to become somebody in this sector", the president of the association, Mariano Castellanos, asserted.

After Corrales, who will represent Spain in the Georges Baptiste International of Professionals Cup, Javier Lorenzo from the restaurant "La Albufera", Madrid, came second, and third prize was for Ismael Ardid, from "La Suite". Ardid belongs to the Hotel Trade School from Aragon. Juan Carlos Ayuso, from Ciudad Real and working at "Don Sancho" restaurant, won the Cava prize. This is the second prize for Ayuso in a short span of time as he also won the "Regional Championships of Restaurant Professionals"

NINE CONTESTANTS

The "Julián Luna" trophy, open to restaurant and hotel professionals and graduates from Hotel Trade Schools, gathered nine contestants from Galicia, Cantabria, Segovia, Aragon, Cataluña, Baleares, Cadiz, Castilla - La Mancha and Madrid.

There were ten tests in all. The contest started with the first test consisting of contestants laying a table for two with decorations of their choice, and with twenty minutes to carry out the task.

Then, each of the contestants had nine other tests to get past: from preparing two cocktails "Chiky Chack" and "Margarita" to lighting a cigar, which concluded the championship. In between they had to show their ability in presenting, opening, tasting and serving wines, preparing entrées and a cold buffet, displaying their ability to cut ham. Next dishes were based on the preparation of a fish dish with Pernod, and participants had to clean the fish, bone it, cut it in portions and put it in the plate. As for meat, they had to carve, cut it portions and place it in the plate. The seventh test had to do with cutting cheese and ration it. As for desert, contestants had to prepare a fruit salad having to peel one piece completely together with another three used for the preparation.

Test number nine consisted of taking orders: sale, skills and food pairing for the customers. The objective was to evaluate spontaneity, psychology in the way to treat customers, welcoming and farewell expressions, and right combination of wines while selling. The championship closed with cigar lighting.