In 2017, Huelva became the first Andalusian coastal city to be awarded the coveted title of Spain’s Gastronomic Capital. Following this, dozens of activities aimed at boosting tourism were added to its agenda to encourage more people to visit the city and province, with the region’s gastronomy being the major main attraction from the coast to the mountains. Now, after one year, the balance has been more than positive in terms of the number of visitors and the development of food tourism.
Among the many outstanding chefs in the province, one name stands out for his involvement in the region’s projection and who also received important recognition last year, Xanty Elías. Xanty has always been a staunch proponent of Huelva’s food and demonstrates this in all the dishes he creates at his restaurant, Acánthum, which has already picked up a Michelin Star and two Soles Repsol.
After working in some of the most famous kitchens in Spain like that of Juan María Arzak, Xanty decided in 2011 that it was time to start his own project and opened Acánthum to offer a more personal culinary experience filled with emotion and Huelva clearly present on the menu. His proposal makes the newly revamped Huelva’s cuisine an enticing draw for those who were previously unaware of the region’s food.
When it comes to preparing his dishes, Elías loves to try recipes with unusual fish, other than cuttlefish, in the kitchen, along with food that people nowadays don’t value too much like ham shanks or the lips of the Iberian pig. He also loves to resurrect old recipes and investigate the origin of modern, popular dishes.
In addition to his strong attachment to cooking and promoting products from Huelva, Xanty is involved in several different social action activities such as workshops for people suffering from Alzheimer’s to analyse their memory of flavours, international congresses and fairs (including some on climate change), and educating his customers about food during his livecooking sessions in Acánthum.
