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Sherry, lard and pork crackling: the Cadiz recipe just crowned world's best patatas bravas

Mauro Barreiro beat 17 other finalists to win the Palencia Brava 2026 international competition, and the winning dish will be served at The Rock Hotel Gibraltar from November

Manu Barreiro's 'Las Bravas Colorás' have been crowned the competition winners.
Miren Landeta

Miren Landeta

Cadiz

The world's best patatas bravas may not know much about borders, but they do have an accent. And theirs is unmistakably from Cadiz.

They ... are made with potatoes from Sanlúcar, 'manteca colorá' (a traditional red lard seasoned with paprika), Oloroso sherry, tomatoes from Conil and even pork crackling. The combination has allowed chef Mauro Barreiro to bring the flavours of Cadiz to one of Spain's most popular tapas and win the seventh International Patatas Bravas Competition, Palencia Brava 2026.

His creation, called 'Bravas Colorás', is a recipe with a strong sense of place. Barreiro, head chef at the Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, San Roque, has transformed a seemingly simple tapa using a distinctly Cadiz-inspired combination of ingredients.

And diners will not have to settle for reading about it. The dish will be available at The Rock Hotel Gibraltar from November.

Barreiro won the competition in Palencia after beating 17 other finalists. José Luis Martínez Mora of Taberna y Media in Madrid came second with 'Bravas Tradición', while Javier García Albuger of Asador de la Concepción in Albacete took third place with 'VRAVAS del Asador'.

The best patatas bravas in the world

Barreiro decided to put his own Cadiz-inspired stamp on the classic tapa when developing his entry.

"I've used sour potatoes from Sanlúcar, confited in manteca colorá and fried twice," the chef said, describing the starting point for his recipe.

The sauce brings together some of the dish's strongest flavours. It is made with stock from 'berza gitana' (a traditional Andalusian cabbage-based stew), along with garlic, vinegar, Oloroso sherry, paprika, cayenne pepper and plenty of slowly softened onion, all blended and emulsified.

The potatoes are then topped with a warm, smooth aioli foam made with oil from garlic confited with bay leaf. The dish is finished with dehydrated tomato powder from Conil and miniature pieces of pork crackling.

Barreiro summed up the result more simply as "the intense flavours of Cadiz brought to patatas bravas".

The recipe impressed the professional judging panel at the competition, which was held at the Hotel Rey Sancho in Palencia. The 'Bravas Colorás' were named the best entry in the seventh edition of the event, which featured 18 finalists.

The judging panel included Michelin-starred chefs Alvar Hinojal and Elena Lucas.

The winning dish will be available to try at The Rock Hotel Gibraltar from November.

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Sherry, lard and pork crackling: the Cadiz recipe just crowned world's best patatas bravas

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Sherry, lard and pork crackling: the Cadiz recipe just crowned world's best patatas bravas