Two butifarras from Alt Empordà have taken top honours in Girona’s first Fresh and Creative Butifarra Competition, with winners announced on 24 May 2026. The awards recognised both traditional and creative approaches to the Catalan sausage.
In the traditional category, Enric Torrent of Carnisseria Pelai in Sant Climent Sescebes won the prize. Torrent said the basic ingredients are simple, pork, salt and pepper, but each butcher adds a personal touch through details such as the fineness of the mince, the amount of pepper, or the balance between lean and fat meat.
In the creative category, Joan Gironell of Carnisseria Gironell, based in Girona’s Mercat del Lleó, won for a butifarra made with rovellons, a type of mushroom. The result underlines how local butchers are adapting a classic product while keeping its identity intact.
The competition was created to recognise the skill and craft of butchers across the Girona counties, while also promoting the quality of butifarra made in the area. It also reflects the wider interest in Catalan food traditions and the people who keep them going.
For more local coverage, see our news page. For background on the competition and its organisers, readers can also check the relevant local and sector sources as they become available.
