These are the winners of Costa del Sol skewered sardines cooked over glowing embers competition

Preparing a good dish of 'espetos' (skewered sardines cooked over glowing embers) may seem simple, but it is definitely not. First, you need good-quality fish. Then, you must thread the product along the spine without breaking the fillets. The right temperature and a lot of patience go a long way in the preparation of this dish, to achieve the right colour and flavour.

Ángel Ruiz from the 'chiringuito' (beach bar) Marina Playa follows these steps with precision, which is why he was named winner at the VIII Ruta del Espeto Málaga en la Mesa. "It is an honour to be here, because it is recognition from the customers you serve every day and from the jury who value your work," he said.

The competition was held at Perujo Playa in Torremolinos on Tuesday, 17 June, with the participation of 45 establishments from all over Malaga province. The choice of location was no random coincidence - Torremolinos is reckoned to be the birthplace of the emblematic skewered sardines.

The audience award went to Boraz Chiringo Club, from Vélez-Málaga, and the Comerco prize for respect for the product went to Tropy, from Caleta de Vélez. Almost 3,000 people gave their opinions in this edition of the competition. The winning establishment received an advertising campaign with Málaga en la Mesa worth 3,000 euros, while the winner of the audience's hearts received one worth 1,000 euros.

Ángel, a Malaga native, has been working as an 'amoragador' (a person specialising in the preparation of espetos) since he was 13 years old. For the last five years, he has been running the beach bar in Rincón de la Victoria, which has earned him the recognition. "The most important thing of all is to take care of the product and attend to the customers as they deserve," he revealed the secret behind success. According to him, the perfect skewered sardine requires patience and observation so that the fish is neither too raw nor overcooked. "You have to get the skin to come off practically on its own; prepare it over a low flame," he said.

The eighth edition of Ruta del Espeto competition was sponsored by the provincial authority and its promotional brand - Sabor a Málaga - with the collaboration of Cruzcampo, the Costa del Sol beach traders association and Comerco.

Each of the participants had to prepare four espetos with products from Castellón, Barcelona and Cadiz. Placed on three different trays, the sardines were chosen by the finalists depending on which ones they thought would be most suitable for this time of year.

Before the awards were announced, the president of the jury - SUR food critic Enrique Bellver - revealed that only one point divided the top three finalists, demonstrating the high level of work each one of them had put in. "You make it more difficult for us every year," said Bellver.

The event was presented by SUR journalist Ana Barreales, who highlighted the skewered sardines as an emblem of the Costa del Sol's uniqueness. "Thank you for keeping the flame of tradition alive," she said. The awards were presented by director of Sabor a Málaga Leonor García-Agua, head of Cruzcampo Pedro Hernández and manager of Comerco David Castillo.