Julio Valles
Professional Jury - Spain
An Industrial Engineer from the University of Valladolid, Julio Valles is an advisor on Gastronomy and Tourism for the Valladolid Provincial Council and a contributor to El Norte de Castilla on gastronomy. He is the president and founder of the Castilian-Leonese Academy of Gastronomy and Food. In 2005, he founded the Valladolid Academy of Gastronomy, of which he served as president until 2013. He has published several works, including "Knowledge and Flavors of the Columbian Legacy," winner of the 2006 National Gastronomy Award for research, and "Cuisine and Food in the 16th and 17th Centuries," winner of the 2007 Gourmand Award for the best book on culinary history in Europe and the 2007 National Gastronomy Award for the best publication. He is a professor of gastronomic culture and history at several of Spain's leading gastronomy training centers and a contributor to numerous specialized publications. He is currently President of the Regulatory Council of the Cigales DOP, President of the Castilian-Leonese Academy of Gastronomy and Food and an academic of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy of Spain.