Category: News

Madrid, February 2024

Konecta, a world leader in the provision of Customer Experience services, has strengthened its positioning and presence in the English-speaking market with the integration of Bespoke, a UK-based company specialising in business process outsourcing activities, with production in Durban, South Africa. To add further to its English-speaking offer, Konecta has also opened its first operations site in San Antonio, Texas (USA).

These two announcements consolidate the Spanish multinational’s geographic expansion strategy, and reinforce its proposition for the English-speaking market with a wide range of offshoring services. Through this expansion of its global footprint, Konecta is consolidating its position as one of the leading players in the sector worldwide, offering knowledge and experience in top-level CX BPO services to clients all over the world. 

The deal with Bespoke will provide Konecta with clients in the utilities and retail sectors and also extend its talent base with more than 1,100 highly skilled professionals providing services in English, creating a solid foundation for future growth and development to meet high demand.

“The integration of Bespoke brings additional expert talent in a key location,” says Mark Thomason, CEO of Bespoke and a pioneer in the South African BPO sector.” South Africa has established itself as a strong offshore services location for both major global brands, with a focus on the UK, Australia and the US. Our growth over the last four years is a reflection of this trend. By joining a global leader we will further accelerate our growth. My team and I look forward to joining Konecta and continuing our successful journey.”

Jesús Vidal, CEO of the Konecta Group, explains the multinational’s commitment to the English-speaking market and its expansion: “Following our successful acquisition and integration of Comdata, we continue to expand our English offering. The addition of Bespoke to our portfolio further consolidates our position in the UK market and reinforces our commitment to global English offshoring. I am delighted to welcome the Bespoke team to Konecta UK. Their professionalism, dedication and hard work perfectly fit our company culture. This takeover offers a great cultural and geographic fit and enhances our competitive service offering.”

Konecta, which merged with the multinational Comdata in April 2022 to create one of the largest groups in the sector globally, has been pursuing a geographical expansion plan for some years now. 

The company, founded and chaired by José María Pacheco, is already well established in the UK, with three centres in London’s Canary Wharf, Manchester and Ringwood, Hampshire. With the integration of Bespoke‘s operations in Durban (South Africa), it is consolidating one of its strategic priorities, which is to continue to make progress in the English-speaking market, both in the UK and in the USA and Australia.

Along with the consolidation of Bespoke, Konecta has strengthened its presence in the USA with the opening of an operations centre in San Antonio, Texas . With this centre, the Spanish multinational has gained a  strategic location, with a flexible infrastructure that already supports the operations of its clients in the healthcare sector, together with Colombia and the UK.

Konecta has a network of specialised operations centres across different countries to service the US market. These include El Salvador and Guatemala, with a pure teleworking (work from home) model; Mexico combining ‘digital marketing’; Colombia, leveraging local leadership to offer ‘nearshore’; and Peru, one of the fastest growing centres in CX BPO services.

 

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY ALEXANDRA TAVERNER GARCÍA

 

On the 28th of November, Cádiz Investment Hub held their first event in London, titled ‘Unveiling Cádiz: Spain’s New Horizon for Investment’. The event was moderated by El País’ Rafa de Miguel and introduced Cádiz Investment Hub, an initiative driven by the Cádiz Employers’ Confederation (CEC) and funded by the Regional Council of Cádiz aiming to assist companies to invest, consolidate, and grow in the region, attracting talent and creating a climate that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship, and foreign investment. Throughout the morning, several of Cádiz’s emerging investment opportunities within the energy, aerospace, naval, blue economy, tourism and agri-food industries for UK companies were explored and emphasised.

In attendance, representing the Cádiz Investment Hub was Julio Hoyos, Project Manager and Head of Cádiz Investment Hub. Mr. Hoyos addressed the objectives of this new project and gave visibility to its interworking’s as a novel initiative. Cádiz Investment Hub itself is a point of cohesion between public and private sectors, the main objective being to promote the economic development within the region of Cádiz through various services including pre and post investment guidance, strategic support, business development and identification of investors. Mr. Hoyos even hinted towards the beginning of a start-up ecosystem within the blue economy.

Later, presentations were given by Almudena Martínez del Junco, President of the Regional Council of Cádiz, Carmen Romero, General Secretary of the Cádiz Employers’ Confederation (CEC), and Germán Beardo Caro, Fourth Vice-President and responsible for Planning, Coordination and Strategic Development Area of the Regional Council of Cádiz, who all emphasised the region’s bright future.

Following the presentations, two roundtables were expertly conducted and moderated by El Pais’ correspondent, Rafa de Miguel. The first welcomed Dr. Joe Nellis, Professor of Global Economics at Cranfield University. Dr. Nellis touched upon the region’s geographic and subsequent strategic advantage; Cádiz is the gateway to Africa, while also being part of an EU member state.

The second roundtable invited José María Martín-Mateos Espinar, Founder & CEO at Controlnet, an IT Consulting & Software Factory and one of 66,000 (as of 2022) active companies within the Cádiz region. Mr. Martín-Mateos strongly credited the Cádiz Investment Hub’s ability to source talent, which allowed his company to expand and evolve.

It is clear that the region of Cádiz is an attractive region that not only invites innovation but is also an established and historic economy.  The work of the Cádiz Investment Hub has facilitated the region’s development and continues to do so for many UK companies looking to establish themselves in it. The very success of this event is a brilliant indictor of the strong bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Spain.

For more information visit: https://www.cadizinvest.com/

Tell us a bit about yourself (company, your role, experience, etc..) 

I am currently the Head of Banco Sabadell UK.  I have been working for over 30 years now for the Financial Sector in Spain and the UK, first as Auditor in Arthur Andersen (that is a hint of my age!), afterwards in Argentaria, BBVA, Caja Madrid, Bankia, Lloyds Banking Group and Banco Sabadell, mainly in Finance roles.

 

From your perspective and/or your own experience, what are the main challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace? 

Women are required to prove that can lead (while it is almost “granted” for men), but then… easily can be “charged” of being too “aggressive”, so, for a woman, it is quite a challenge to achieve a balance between being assertive and not hesitating to make decisions, not being “mild” and being too “aggressive”.  Women are different to men in lots of ways, and we have to demonstrate that we can lead in our own way, not just copying men’s “style”.

 

What do you think organisations should do in order to increase the presence of women in leadership positions? 

Understand, accept and accomplish that the way a woman leads is somehow different (but not worse: it can be better) than the way a man usually does.

 

From the gender perspective, what initiatives have already been implemented by your organisation that you would like to point out? 

Some years ago it was decided that each time there is a position to be covered, three candidates should be presented and, in each and every case, at least one of the three must be a woman.

 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Believe in yourself, and be true to yourself: aspire to be your best and do not try to be someone else.

 

In terms of gender equality, how do you imagine the world in 10 years’ time? What would be your ideal outcome?

Indeed… I am a little bit worried, as I currently think that hetero white males nowadays are the ones who are being discriminated.  I honestly hope that the world achieve a fair balance as soon as possible. We are seeking for gender equality, but we should aspire to be fair: there are positions and roles where it would be fair to have more men than women and other where the fairest outcome could be to have more women than men.  I believe in fairness.  That could mean gender equality… or not.  I think we are ashamed of a recent past of gender discrimination and sometimes we are (potentially) making the same mistakes… the other way round.

 

Tell us a bit about yourself (company, your role, experience, etc..).

 

I work in SENER, an engineering and technology group from Spain, but working globally in the sectors of Mobility, Energy and Aerospace. I am Director Business Development for Europe in SENER Mobility and I have been working in this company for almost 20 years now. SENER is very active in the UK and we are involved in some of the major transport infrastructures in the country.

 

From your perspective and/or your own experience, what are the main challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace?

 

The engineering sector is a male dominated sector. For many years women have not been part of these careers and therefore now we can see few women in high level positions.  The challenge is still to get the interest of the young girls in these STEM careers. The opportunity will come by integrating the other half of the population’s ideas, needs and ways of thinking into the engineering projects to better serve the whole society. We are still designing infrastructures with gender bias data because we have not got a voice for many years. We are changing that, but we still have a lot to do. We have a big challenge with females taking big responsibility roles in this sector.

 

What do you think organisations should do in order to increase the presence of women in leadership positions?

 

Honestly, I think they should be bolder and braver. There is no bad outcome, or at least not worse than choosing a man. I have never been in favor of quotas, but more and more I realized that it might be the only way to move further and faster. Before, they might not have been enough women, but now sometimes it might just be easier to get a man for a job, for a panel, for an interview… I say: go beyond and choose a woman! They are out there. Ready to go. Women have the same chances to fail than a man, and exactly the same to succeed.

 

From the gender perspective, what initiatives have already been implemented by your organisation that you would like to point out?

 

There is just as much as you can do in the engineering sector because of the lack of female engineers in general. But of course, in our company we have a whole set of policies to deal with Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.  Among other things, SENER is part of the Women and Engineering Program from the Spanish Royal Academy of Engineering that aims to promote STEM careers among the female public, in addition to including various actions and programs such as “Mentoring of Excellence” or “Engineering with social purpose”.

 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

 

I don’t know if my younger self would have taken much of an advice. She wanted to experience everything for myself, but if I have to choose, I would have told her not to settle for the easy, to go always beyond and to be ambitious. We should get more used to see ambition in women as a good quality.

 

 

In terms of gender equality, how do you imagine the world in 10 years’ time? What would be your ideal outcome?

 

I am sure in ten years we will be better. I have no doubt about that. The problem is: do we still have to wait for ten years? The ideal would be not to have to do this kind of interview to raise awareness, right?

 

 

 

 

Tell us a bit about yourself (company, your position in the company, experience, etc..)

 

My name is Raquel Barrera and I am an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion expert and founder of diversitas institute. I am also a Board member of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK. I am passionate about art, books, history and cultural life in London and I am also a strong believer in the benefits of a more equitable, diverse and inclusive world.

 

I lead Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) projects from a gender perspective, advocate and promote EDI in the workplace and accompany organisations from a broad variety of sectors and sizes on that journey.

 

From your perspective and own experience, what challenges and opportunities do you think women face in the workplace?

 

In terms of the challenges, from my own personal perspective and after working with many organisations from a wide variety of sectors and sizes, there are several barriers that women still face in the workplace.

The more structural challenges are, on one hand, the different perception between women and men regarding the need of changing and the challenges women face in the workplace. If we add the lack of female representation at decision-making level, we have an scenario where the speed to achieve a more equitable world is not as fast as expected.

On the other hand, there is the question of care. Women have massively joined the labour market but without completely giving up the unpaid care activities. In summary, women continue to shoulder the burden of childcare and unpaid work in the home. In addition to that, the so called motherhood penalty is a reality. Nowadays, when a woman decides to have a child, this has a great impact in her professional life.

 

From the organisational perspective, I identify two different challenges. One of those challenges is the “ticking-the-box” perspective. This is, probably, one of the greatest mistakes that can lead to inconsistency between expectations and reality, between what it is said and what it is done and, as a consequence, diversity fatigue and backlash.

Finally, regarding the approach, most of the time, and with the best of the intentions, we try to “fix the women’s issue” from a more traditional perspective, particularly when addressing topics such as leadership styles or work-life balance. This can create situations that can end up in a “fixing the women (and the men!) that do not fit with the traditional stereotypes” approach rather than “redefining the system or accepting different perspectives, behaviours or leadership styles”.

 

In term of opportunities, it is true that there is a business case associated with gender equity. However, I am a bit reluctant to use it as an argument if it is not strictly necessary because it can reinforce the idea that women need to perform really well when offered these positions. At the end of the day, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that if the world is 50% women and 50% men, the decision-making positions should have a similar percentage.

 

 

What do you think organisations should do in order to increase the presence of women in leadership positions?

 

I believe that it is absolutely crucial to identify and understand where the organisation is regarding gender equity. Every organisation is unique and the “one-size-fits-all” approach does not longer work. In order to avoid misconceptions and subjectivity, gathering meaningful data is key. Demographics, measure of employees perception and an analysis of the organisation’s process is a basic first step. It is not about how much data you gather but how meaningful it is. Once you know where the issues are, define ambitious but realistic goals, KPIs and specific actions. Common pitfalls include fragmented I&D initiatives, overly relying on individual commitments or the lack of a clear link with the company’s core business strategy. The key is to build a commitment from the top; identify leaders, allies and change-resistance; understand the impact of structural and systemic external issues and assess the internal processes in order to make them as biased-free as possible. The final goal is that, eventually people of talent and ability can ascend to the level they deserve, regardless of their gender.

 

 

What advice would you give to your young-self?

 

I would probably tell my young-self to always think twice why you think or feel the way you do, if your decisions are really free-will decisions and if there is a more creative and non-obvious way. I would also encourage myself to be surrounded with people with different views and to not be afraid of feeling uncomfortable. Finally, never underestimate the impact your actions have (no matter how small they are) and the power of change.

 

In terms of gender equality, how do you imagine the world in 10 years’ time? What would be your dream come true?

 

In 10 years’ time I hope to see a wider and richer representation in the decision-making. Ultimately, my dream would be for diversitas institute to disappear because it is no longer needed.

 

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY CHAMBER MEMBER SCORNIK GERSTEIN LLP

 

Are you the child or grandchild of a Spanish national? If you are, you may be entitled to reclaim Spanish nationality without the need of residing in Spain and without the need of successfully passing any exam. But beware of the impending deadline to apply!

 

The Ley de Memoria Democrática, also known as the Spanish Grandchildren law, provides for the children and grandchildren of originally Spanish nationals to apply for Spanish nationality on the back of their Spanish ancestors.

 

The process involves making an application before the Spanish Consulate corresponding to the applicant’s place of residence but only if submitted by the 21st of October 2024 when the window period provided by the regulation will elapse and the right to apply disappear unless such period is extended by the Spanish Government.

 

Therefore, it is essential to file applications before the deadline to benefit from this opportunity to acquire Spanish nationality without residing in Spain and without renouncing to the nationality the applicant currently holds.

 

 

WHO IS ELEGIBLE TO APPLY FOR SPANISH NATIONALITY UNDER THE GRANDCHILDREN LAW?

 

 

1. Children and grandchildren of Spanish mother, father or grandparent who are considered, under Spanish law, originally Spanish.

 

2. The daughters and sons of Spaniards whose nationality of origin was recognised by virtue of the right of option in accordance with the Historical Memory Law (Seventh Additional Provision of Law 52/2007 of December 26) or of the present Democratic Memory Law.

 

3. Spaniards born outside of Spain to Spanish women who lost their Spanish nationality by marrying a foreign citizen before the entry into force of the Spanish Constitution of 1978.

 

 

Scornik Gerstein LLP has successfully assisted Spanish descendants in the process to reclaim their Spanish nationality under this law. If you would like us to assess your circumstances to confirm whether you can apply, please contact us at your earliest convenience:

 

 

Dancy Naranjo

london@scornik.com

t: +44 (0) 207 831 7070

m: +44 (0) 754 066 7073

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY NIEVES RODRIGUEZ

 

In an ever-evolving world, mindful leadership and adaptive mindset are critical to meet the challenges of the artificial intelligence era. Digital transformation is profoundly impacting how we work and live, and in this context, the mindfulness approach has become invaluable for leaders. In this article, we will explore the importance of mindful leadership and how the mindfulness approach, supported by the best-selling book “Mindfulness for Leaders in the Digital Age”, written by Nieves Rodriguez, can help leaders successfully navigate this new era.

 

The Paradigm Shift with Artificial Intelligence in Leadership

 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work, automating routine tasks and allowing leaders to focus on strategic tasks. However, this change requires an open and adaptive mindset on the part of leaders. The ability to collaborate effectively with artificial intelligence, harness its potential and develop new skills is crucial to leading in this new era.

 

 

The Development of an Open and Adaptive Mindset in Leadership

In the context of artificial intelligence, an open and adaptive mindset becomes even more relevant. Leaders must be willing to learn and unlearn, embrace new technologies and foster a culture of innovation in their organisations. This requires a growth mindset, the ability to embrace change and adapt quickly to new circumstances.

 

 

The Role of Conscious Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Conscious leadership becomes essential to maintain balance in an AI-driven environment. Conscious leaders develop greater mental clarity and make informed decisions. They also focus on the well-being of their teams, promoting resilience, work-life balance, and establishing an organisational culture based on strong values.

 

 

The Mindfulness Approach for Leaders in the Digital Age

In her bestselling book “Mindfulness for Leaders in the Digital Age”, Nieves Rodriguez explores how mindfulness can be applied by leaders in their daily lives to improve calmness, focus and achieve mindfulness. This approach helps leaders cultivate greater mental clarity, manage stress and distractions, and foster more effective communication and decision-making.

 

 

Transforming Organisations from Within: Leading with Mindfulness

The mindfulness approach enables leaders to lead from a place of greater awareness and presence. By practising mindfulness, leaders can develop greater self-awareness, better understand their teams and cultivate stronger relationships. In addition, mindfulness fosters creativity, empathy and conflict resolution, which contributes to a more collaborative and successful work environment.

 

 

Conclusion: Mindful Leadership and Adaptive Mindset Supported by Mindfulness

In the age of artificial intelligence, conscious leadership, adaptive mindset and mindfulness approach become fundamental to lead successfully. By combining the skills of mindful leadership, open-mindedness and mindfulness, leaders can meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the digital age. The book “Mindfulness for Leaders in the Digital Age” by Nieves Rodriguez offers tools and practices to help leaders develop their leadership from a place of calm, focus and mindfulness.

 

 

To learn more about how mindful leadership, adaptive mindset and mindfulness can positively impact your leadership and organisation, we invite you to explore the book “Mindfulness for Leaders in the Digital Age” and Nieves Rodríguez’s presentations and trainings and to contact us at https://FastrackCoachingAppointment.as.me/INFORMACION.

 

 

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY ALICIA PACHO

 

On Monday 9th October, the SRUK Emerging Talent Award 2023 was presented to Dr. Roser Vento-Tormo. The organisers kindly invited the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the United Kingdom to attend the ceremony, held at the incredible venue of the Spanish Embassy in London. 

 

We spent the afternoon with Spanish scientists, and heard from them directly about the important role they play in the University and research systems of the United Kingdom.   

 

The ceremony was attended by numerous notable figures, such as H.E. Mr. José Pascual Marco, Ambassador of Spain to the United Kingdom, as well as Rodrigo Echenique Gordillo, President of the Banco Santander Foundation, an institution that finances the award as part of its talent attraction program. This was made known by its president, who emphasised that Banco Santander truly wants to “follow the trajectory of good Spanish scientists, and help promote knowledge and research.” 

 

This highly coveted award supports and provides visibility to Spanish scientists in their early career who carry out research in the United Kingdom. Carmen Galán, Professor at Bristol University and part of the jury, made it known that this year there was a great talent among the scientists who applied for the award and she praised these people and their efforts when doing research abroad.  

 

Irene Echeverría, president of SRUK, also highlighted the importance of such awards, and how proud the institution is of being able to support young researchers, particularly the “excellent career of Dr. Roser Vento-Tormo, which exemplifies the enormous value of the work carried out by Spanish researchers in the United Kingdom”. 

 

We at the Chamber would also like to convey our sincere congratulations to the winner, Dr. Vento-Tormo, for her excellent explanatory speech of her research, as well as for her outstanding contribution to the field of genomics and bioinformatics with a particular interest in reproductive tissues. 

 

 

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY BECOSAN®

BECOSAN® is thrilled to announce the successful completion of the UK’s largest strip out, demolition, and refit project at the former GAP Warehouse, encompassing an impressive 661,000 sq. ft. (60,000 m2). This milestone accomplishment culminated with the property being leased by retail giant Sainsbury’s, marking one of the most substantial single property deals of the year.

 

In a remarkable collaboration with Sunrise Real Estate Limited and Total Project Integration, BECOSAN® played a pivotal role in delivering this monumental project. Sunrise Real Estate, the owner of the industrial building, orchestrated a comprehensive refurbishment of the property, which has now been officially handed over to Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited.

 

Before BECOSAN® intervention…

 

Sunrise Real Estate’s strategic acquisition of the property from Gap Inc. in September 2022 marked the beginning of an ambitious revitalisation initiative. The successful completion of the project within a two-month timeframe showcases the dedicated efforts of all involved stakeholders.

 

See the property before its transformation: 

 

 

 

We would like to introduce you to two members of our team who have been involved in this monumental project:

 

Martin Kerrigan, the accomplished project director of BECOSAN®, provided visionary leadership throughout the refurbishment process. His expertise and guidance were instrumental in the successful execution of this complex project.

 

Oliver Sanz Wittrowski, serving as the coordinator of the BECOSAN® treatment, ensured the seamless integration of this innovative solution into the project. His meticulous attention to detail and innovative approach significantly contributed to the project’s success.

 

From left to right: Martin Kerrigan, Project director UK. Kenneth Olsen, CEO and Founder. Oliver Sanz Wittrowski, Project manager Europe.

 

After BECOSAN® treatment: see the impressive results!

 

This transformational endeavour involved a complete renovation of the Rugby 661 site, situated in Rugby, UK. The renovation project, overseen by Total Project Integration (TPI), included innovative pavement enhancements through the application of the cutting-edge BECOSAN® treatment. This treatment not only revitalises the pavement’s aesthetics but also ensures enhanced durability and sustainability.

 

After the property had been transformed: 

 

 

 

For more information about BECOSAN ‘s revolutionary concrete treatment solutions, please contact BECOSAN UK at www.becosan.com/contact/ or call +44 (0)203 1296424.

 

See the full video of this transformation here.

 

Stay updated with BECOSAN’s latest projects by visiting becosan.com/projects/ and connecting with us on LinkedIn.

BLOG POST WRITTEN BY IGNACIO PERINAT AND LAUREN MCAULEY

 

The 8th of August, a long-awaited day for all of us at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK. Our very own Croqueta Tour was back for its second edition, and we could not hide our excitement when we gathered in Soho for a midday start to our gastronomic journey.

 

The Chamber is fortunate to count some of the finest Spanish restaurants in London among the Members of our institution. As both a token of our appreciation and an opportunity to enjoy a classic Spanish dish, last year, the Chamber decided to launch the annual Croqueta Tour: a day-long expedition across London to taste the most mouth-watering croquetas in town.

 

For those unfamiliar with the origin of the term ‘croqueta’, it comes (to the disappointment of many Spaniards) from the French word ‘croquette’, which is a diminutive of the onomatopoeia ‘croq’, in reference to the food’s characteristic crispiness. Despite the linguistic origin of the word, it is common knowledge that the Spanish (as with most things) make croquetas better. Don’t just take our word for it, though. All the restaurants we visited are excellent representatives of Spanish cuisine, so do not hesitate to visit each and every one of them for an authentic croquetas experience.

 

 

RESTAURANT 1: BAR KROKETA

The clock strikes twelve and the Chamber team gathers in Bar Kroketa in the heart of Soho. This bar has a warm and welcoming atmosphere and an interior that reminded us of being back in Spain.

 

The establishment aims to bring Spanish tapas culture to London, which can be immediately observed in the flavours of the croquetas; Iberian ham, mushroom, prawn and sobrasada, all prepared in their open kitchen. The croquetas of this first stop did not disappoint, and certainly set a very high bar (pun intended).

 

 

 

RESTAURANT 2: IBÉRICA MARYLEBONE

After a brisk walk through the cobbled Westminster streets, we reached our second stop of the tour: the Ibérica restaurant in Marylebone. Under the guidance of Michelin-starred Chef Director Nacho Manzano, this restaurant has rapidly garnered a reputation as one of the finest Spanish eateries in the city. The elegant interior, designed by award-winning Spanish architect Lázaro Rosa Violán, includes stunning Andalusian tiles and glass hanging lanterns.

 

We were warmly welcomed by the restaurant staff and immediately served some traditional ham croquetas, cooked and flavoured to perfection, washed down with a selection of Spanish wines and beers. The elegance of the restaurant and the taste of its food lend Ibérica Marylebone a strong sense of authenticity and make it an excellent choice for a Spanish-inspired meal.

 

 

 

RESTAURANT 3: BIBO SHOREDITCH

It was then time to hop onto the tube and travel across London to BiBo Shoreditch, a stylish restaurant located in the Mondrian hotel that prides itself on bringing its distinct Andalusian style of cooking to London.

 

There, we indulged in two types of croqueta, a smooth and rich mushroom and a classic jamón, made slightly differently with a simple béchamel filling with a portion of jamón on the top; a novel take on a variation that has been done so often before. The mushroom flavour also was a delight, with a flavour that packed a punch without being overpowering.

 

 

 

RESTAURANT 4: BARRAFINA COAL DROPS YARD

Another short walk later and we had arrived at Barrafina, one of five restaurants across the city, this one being in the newly-developed Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross.

 

With an open kitchen and relaxed bar-top seating, the vibe of this restaurant was immediately lively and energetic. We sat and watched the chefs at work, enjoying a crisp glass of pinot in the meantime. The croquetas here did not disappoint either; we thoroughly enjoyed the jamón flavour, and many of us were pleasantly surprised by the rich creaminess of the restaurant’s signature blue cheese croqueta.

 

 

 

RESTAURANT 5: BAR RIOJA

None of us wanted this tour to come to an end, and the final restaurant of the day made the prospect of leaving all the more difficult.

 

Bar Rioja in King’s Cross is a popular choice for both locals and tourists. Tucked away in a rustic style courtyard off a busy main street, this bar promises, and delivers, an intimate dining experience accompanied by an extensive wine list from the Rioja region.

 

The croquetas were on point, and their classic ham and cheese flavour was served with a twist; grated manchego on top, a welcome addition for all the cheese lovers in the room, which was only improved by the delicious rioja they were paired with.

 

 

 

With a full stomach and a smile on our faces, we sadly had to draw the Croqueta Tour to a close until next year. The Chamber team thoroughly enjoyed this gastronomic experience and made us especially proud of our Members who so warmly welcomed us into their restaurants. It is safe to say that each and every one of them is an excellent ambassador for Spanish cuisine in London and without them the city would feel less flavourful.

 

 

 

Watch the full video of our day here: https://rb.gy/nwogk