The contest for the best Russian salad in the Community of Madrid, organized by the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Marid (ACYRE), has already determined which is the preparation that deserves to win this recognition in 2025: the award has gone to the restaurant La Savina, located on Avenida de Juan Antonio Samaranch, 67 (Valdebebas).
Behind the project is the chef Jorge Baeza, who explains that the success lies in “roasting the potato and an emulsified mayonnaise with the liquid from the pickles, in this case gherkins and olives, and also a little bit of anchovy. With that same mayonnaise we cover and put a pickle and gherkin mince; we finish with a pickle emulsion on top”.
The dish can be tasted at the restaurant for 14 € for the full portion or for 8 € if only half a portion is ordered. The rest of the podium was completed, in second place, by Alejandro Martínez of Velarde 13, while the bronze went to Javier Alfaro, chef of Inclán Brutal Bar.
Nine Russian salads reached the final.
The tasting jury of the contest was formed by professionals of the hotel and catering industry such as Juan Antonio Medina (Tatel), Guillermo Mort (La Ancha) or Ana Lázaro (Barro), while the technical jury was formed by several members of the Board of Directors of ACYRE.
Its members had to deliberate about which were the three best creations among the nine finalists: “The level rises every year and, although the salad is something traditional, the chefs who present know how to give it a special touch to surprise the jury,” said José Luis Inarejos, vice president of ACYRE Madrid.
The two requirements that all of them had to meet were the following: prepare this dish using at least two products M Certified Product of Madrid, and have an establishment open to the public to sell and consume it.