La Paloma's Chef Alex Fargas on Championing Spain Through La Fiesta

After a four-year pause, Hong Kong’s biggest festival celebrating all things Spanish is back with La Fiesta, a three-day event brought to life by La Paloma in association with Los Ibericos, Esencia Flamenca, The Spanish Chamber of Commerce, and the Spanish School of Hong Kong (SSHK). Steering the wheel of this grand comeback is chef Alex Fargas, founder and head chef of La Paloma and the unofficial culinary ambassador to his homeland.

Having spent half a year mapping out this event, chef Alex said La Fiesta is an extension of his years-long work in promoting his beloved Spain to a city that has been his home for 13 years.

“It's my passion. I saw the opportunity to do it with the people I’ve already been working with for a very long time. So, for me, it's a natural evolution of what we are doing on a daily basis. My goal is to create a place where everyone is welcome.” 

La Fiesta not only imports the flavours and aromas of Spain, but also its rich culture and traditions that make up the country’s identity. La Paloma partnered with Esencia Flamenca to tap into artists from Spain and showcase performances that provide a glimpse into the festive culture of the country through dance and music. For families, this cultural extravaganza lined up activities to engage kids such as a puppet show, puppet-making workshop, and a kids flamenco show with SSHK. Promoting Spanish identity through sports, Spain’s top football division, La Liga, will grace the event and welcome visitors to its booth, complemented by a football area and merchandise items available for purchase throughout the event. Featuring the Spanish Dragon team, a virtual dragon boat race will also be held on the last day, allowing participants to paddle in unison with their teammates, navigate waterways, and time their strokes in a friendly competition.

Capturing Spain’s language through food, La Paloma teamed up with Los Ibericos to bring in ingredients that are 100% made in Hong Kong. Throughout the fest, visitors will be treated to staple Spanish tapas like tortillas, chorizos, and meatballs.

Ahead of the event, chef Alex sets his sights on an ambitious project that will bring La Fiesta outside Hong Kong and to neighbouring cities where La Paloma has its sister restaurants.

“This is not a competition with other Spanish restaurants. This is about how we can encourage customers to try MORE Spanish restaurants. But first, we need to make it happen. We need to make it authentic. We need to show what we are capable of,” chef Alex said.

“It's about creating something that comes from my heart and bringing it to places where we have restaurants or we have partners to promote the Spanish culture. We are in the restaurants business. But I see a great opportunity where more people, suppliers, and groups would be eager to take part in.”

Asked about how he envisions La Fiesta in the future, chef Alex said he would love to incorporate fashion and art for a holistic experience that authentically represents the soul, spirit, and identity of Spain.

"Throughout my 13 years here in Hong Kong, I have been fortunate enough to receive unwavering support from everyone. This project is deeply personal, and I genuinely hope to continue receiving the love and encouragement so that we can keep growing and sharing wonderful experiences together. I sincerely look forward to seeing everyone at La Fiesta.”

La Fiesta 2023 will be held at PMQ Central from Oct. 13-15, with free entrance. To know more about this Spanish extravaganza, click the event below: