If food fairs had a version of opening day nerves, GastroCanarias 2026 clearly didn’t get the memo.
From early morning, the Recinto Ferial de Tenerife was already busy with chefs, bakers, baristas, exhibitors and people wandering around pretending they were “just looking” while quietly collecting samples.
The XI Salón Gastronómico de Canarias, running from 19 to 21 May, is back again and expected to welcome more than 20,000 visitors, with over 200 stands and around 80 public and private companies taking part.
Not exactly a small food fair.
Live Cooking, Coffee, Competitions and Plenty of Food
The programme this year is packed.
Visitors can expect:
• Live cooking demonstrations
• Barista workshops and coffee sessions
• Bakery and pastry showcases
• Pizza and pasta demonstrations
• Gastronomy talks and training sessions
• Cooking competitions across multiple categories
The opening day also hosted the 20th Canary Islands Cooking Championship, where chefs worked with this year’s surprise ingredient:
Ñame
A traditional Canarian root vegetable that became the star of the kitchens for the day.
More Than Food
One thing GastroCanarias does well is mix food with business.
Restaurant owners, hospitality professionals and suppliers all use the event to spot trends, discover products and quietly see what everyone else is doing.
As one attendee put it:
“It’s not only about food… there are companies here that can genuinely improve how we run our business.”
Fair point really.
You can go for a coffee demonstration and leave thinking about ovens, AI systems and bakery equipment.
Galicia Takes Centre Stage This Year
Each edition usually shines a light on a guest destination.
For 2026, that role belongs to Galicia.
The region joins Tenerife in showcasing products, culinary identity and food traditions linked closely to territory and local production.
A bit of Atlantic meeting Atlantic.
What’s Still Coming?
The event continues over the next two days with competitions including:
• Signature Canarian sandwiches
• Salads and tapas
• Breakfast toast creations
• Artisan bakery
• Pastry contests
Meanwhile, other sessions focus on:
• Wine tourism
• Generational change in winemaking
• Canarian cuisine
• Coffee culture
• Hospitality technology
• Artificial intelligence
• Food marketing and profitability
So yes… there’s a lot more happening than simply eating.
Although admittedly, that still seems to be most people’s favourite part.