Miguel Ángel Vicente Val is the new president of the Aragonese Academy of Gastronomy, an institution dedicated to the study, research, and promotion of the autonomous community’s gastronomic culture. His appointment marks a renewal in the organization’s leadership as it begins a new chapter aimed at raising the public profile of its activities and strengthening awareness of Aragon’s culinary heritage.
Vicente Val succeeds Ernesto Fabre González as president, while Fabre González will remain involved in the Academy’s leadership as vice president. The new Governing Board also includes Juan Barbacil as secretary, Asunción Vitoria as treasurer, and Elena Piedrafita as librarian, along with four board members.
The new president has a career in research, public outreach, and the publication of works on Aragonese gastronomy. His work includes authorship of «La repostería monacal en Aragón,» published in 2023, as well as the texts and editorial coordination for «ZIIT. El libro del aceite de oliva,» released the same year. He has also contributed to collaborative works such as «Goya y la cocina aragonesa,» a publication examining the relationship between food, history, and the cultural world of the Aragonese painter.
His work also includes food photography. One of his images, featuring pollo al chilindrón prepared by Huesca-born chef Carmelo Bosque, was selected to illustrate the Correos stamp dedicated to this traditional Aragonese dish, unveiled in Huesca in May 2025. The photograph was part of the «Libro de Oro de la Cocina Aragonesa,» a publication to which Vicente Val also contributed.
A new chapter to bring gastronomy closer to society
Miguel Ángel Vicente Val’s first public appearance as president took place on October 26 during the event «Queso y Gastronomía. Situación en Aragón», held at Zaragoza’s Patio de la Infanta. The gathering brought together professionals and experts to assess the state of Aragon’s cheese sector, its growth potential, and the need to improve cooperation among producers.
The selection of this event as one of the new presidency’s first engagements reflects one of the Academy’s core areas of work: connecting gastronomic knowledge with the realities of producers, the food industry, and the restaurant sector. The institution’s activities encompass both the preservation of culinary traditions and recognition for the professionals and companies contributing to Aragonese gastronomy.
Among the objectives announced for this new chapter is to give greater visibility to the Academy’s research and outreach work, while bringing its knowledge and activities to a broader audience. Gastronomy is an element of Aragon’s cultural heritage, but it also has a direct relationship with economic sectors including agriculture, livestock farming, the food industry, hospitality, and tourism.
The Aragonese Academy of Gastronomy was founded in 1995, with historian Antonio Beltrán Martínez, a leading figure in the study and promotion of Aragonese culture, as its first president. Since its inception, the organization has promoted research, publications, public outreach activities, and awards related to the region’s cuisine and products.
The renewal of its leadership now opens a chapter in which the institution aims to expand the reach of this work and maintain its contribution to knowledge of Aragon’s gastronomy. The new president takes on this responsibility with an editorial and public-outreach record that has paid particular attention to the relationship between food, history, and the community’s traditions.
