The journalist Ibán Yarza will receive the 2026 PanFest Award

In its inaugural year, the PanFest International Bread and Flour Congress is launching the PanFest Award, designed to recognise the work of artisans, entrepreneurs and advocates in the world of bread. The aim is to bestow the prestige and quality this product deserves upon it. The 2026 winner, the journalist specialising in bread Ibán Yarza, undoubtedly embodies these qualities. His contribution to the prestige of bread, and his communication of its nutritional and cultural values, have been key factors in the awarding of this prize, which recognises his career as Spain's leading bread advocate.
 

Yarza is one of the most prominent figures in Spain's artisan bread scene thanks to his work on books and television programmes. Through his writing and media appearances, he has introduced the general public to the world of artisan bread, sharing his knowledge of home bread-making and highlighting the value of this traditional product. He is the author of Spain’s best-selling book on bread, Pan casero; the definitive work on traditional bread in Spain, Pan de pueblo; and the most comprehensive guide to making bread at home, 100 recetas de pan de pueblo. Beyond his publications and media appearances, Ibán Yarza also plays a prominent training role through courses and collaborations in Spain and the Americas. 

Over the last two decades, this journalist’s work has driven a genuine revolution in the general public’s perception of bread. Thanks to Yarza, we have come to understand the concepts of sourdough and slow fermentation, which help us to appreciate the value of artisan bread compared to industrial, standardised products that have gradually become more prevalent in many establishments. For all these reasons, and because he has played a decisive role in restoring the social and gastronomic prestige of bread in Spain, PanFest will present him with the PanFest Award 2026 on Monday 15 June.
 
The presentation of this award is set to be one of the highlights of the first day of PanFest's professional programme. The congress is promoted by Caja Rural de Zamora and organised by Madrid Fusión. The first edition of the International Bread and Flour Congress will take place from 14 to 16 June in Zamora, bringing together around fifty leading national and international figures from the bread and flour industry to discuss the current state of, and future prospects for, one of the most universal foods in our culinary heritage.