The smell of charcoal and the crackling of firewood are about to take over Barcelona’s waterfront once again. On June 12, 13, and 14, the iconic Moll de la Fusta in Port Vell will become the city’s culinary epicenter with the fourth edition of Meat & Fire. Having captivated more than 25,000 people at its previous editions, this festival has established itself as one of the world’s premier gatherings for lovers of meat and grilled cuisine.
This year, the event will bring together more than 30 masters of the grill from all corners of the globe to showcase their techniques and culinary identities by the sea. The big news this year is the inclusion of new culinary countries and the selection of Buenos Aires as the “Guest City,” a metropolis that will showcase its full heritage and grilling expertise through renowned local chefs.
Grilling Techniques from Around the World
The festival becomes a global map of flavors where the most ancient traditions intersect with the most contemporary offerings. Among the most anticipated names on the lineup is Daniel Cocchia, from the Argentine project La Birra Bar, who arrives backed by the award for Best Burger in the World at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami and his recent victory at the 2026 Dubai Burger Championship.
From Colombia, Sdan Hinestroza (La Casa Humo Grill) will showcase the art of slow smoking with cured pork belly marinated in a seven-salt ceviche and dehydrated sugar infused with lemon, onion, and cilantro. Meanwhile, Middle Eastern cuisine will be represented by Aleksandr Stepaniuk (The Meat Avenue, Dubai), who will grill lamb on a skewer with a marinade of more than twenty spices and fresh herbs, served in the traditional style with Arabic bread.
Icelandic chef Hinrik Lárusson (Brasa) will provide the northern contrast, fusing ingredients from his island in a charcoal-grilled leg of lamb with rhubarb glaze and a skyr and wasabi dressing. Iberian tradition and large-scale cooking will also take center stage: Peio Ayestaran and Alfredo Alzueta (Muskitz) will revive the burduntzi, a technique that Basque emigrants brought back from Argentina, which involves roasting whole cuts of meat skewered on iron rods. In addition, Andeka González (Brutus, A Coruña) will cook slow-smoked beef ribs on a spectacular waterwheel-shaped structure.
Barcelona will be represented byJoan Bagur (Oaxaca Cuina Mexicana), who returns for the fourth consecutive year to prepare Yucatecan cochinita pibil using the Mayan pib technique— an underground oven where the meat is slowly cooked wrapped in banana leaves. Joining these offerings will be cuisines from Ecuador, Turkey, Greece, and Romania, rounding out a range of flavors never before seen at the festival.
Concerts to accompany the meal
The beachy atmosphere of Moll de la Fusta will be accompanied by a soundtrack spread across three different stages throughout the day and night, featuring rhythms ranging from rumba and cumbia to rock.
On the first stage, musician David Canal will perform twice daily: from 7:00 PM to 7:45 PM and from 9:30 PM to 10:15 PM. The second stage will host performances by the groups La Porteña, Los Piratas, and La Mapocho Cumbia over the course of the three afternoons. In addition, this same space will feature DJ sets every day, scheduled from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. to close out the festival days.
Master classes and culinary discussions
Meat & Fire remains committed to education and learning. Admission to the venue includes access to various cooking demonstrations and masterclasses where everything from traditional methods to industry innovations will be explored.
The schedule of activities planned for the three days is as follows:
Friday, June 12
- 3:00 p.m.: Talk “Influencers in the World of Gastronomy” with Enrique Martín (@etxando.panza) and chefs David Montes (Madrid) and Germán Sitz (Buenos Aires).
- 4:00 p.m.: Presentation of the Master Grill Chef Diploma by José Luís Nieto, president of IDEGAT.
Saturday, June 13
- 12:00 p.m.: Live cooking demonstration titled “Gastrosàvies, rediscovering the love of real cooking.”
- 1:00 p.m.: Live recording of the culinary podcast “La Picaeta,” hosted by Adrián Alcaide and Javier Ciruejda.
- 3:00 p.m.: Roundtable discussion “Gastronomic Travelers” with John Carlin (United Kingdom), Siggi Hall (Iceland), and Xavier Agulló (Barcelona).
- 4:00 p.m.: Book presentation of *The War Over Animal Protein*, by M. Pimentel and Juan Pascual.
- 5:00 p.m.: Talk “Anatomy of the Burger: From Muscle to Bite” with Joaquín Felipe (Discarlux), Marc Martí (Triticum), and Daniel Cocchia (La Birra Bar).
- 6:00 p.m.: Discussion “Charcuterie: A Craft That Was Fading but Is Now Making a Comeback” with Juan Mico (Xacuteria La Confiança, Barcelona) and Joaquín Felipe (Atocha 107, Madrid).
Sunday, June 14
- 2:00 p.m.: Presentation of the book Fuego Madre, by chef Javier Brichetto.
- 3:00 p.m.: Workshop “Do You Know How to Taste Meat?” with meat sommelier Elisabeth Iborra.
- 3:00 p.m.: Official ceremony to pass the torch to Buenos Aires as the next official host city of the Meat & Fire festival.
Beyond the main grills, the festival serves as a platform to highlight the rural world and the work of local producers. Attendees will be able to visit an artisan market featuring products directly linked to the region. At the various stalls, visitors can purchase cheeses, mountain olive oils, honeys, ciders, and a variety of creative projects that aim to connect the public with the wisdom of the countryside and sustainable livestock farming.
