Catalan chef Carme Ruscalleda awarded honorary doctorate by University of Barcelona 

Catalan chef Carme Ruscalleda received an honorary doctorate from the University of Barcelona on Monday.    

Ruscalleda, winner of seven Michelin stars, received the award for her innovative approach and dedication to preserving the essence of Catalan cuisine.    

"Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined receiving this honor," she said upon receiving the award.  

In her speech, the chef also urged the government to create a cooking and nutrition subject in primary and secondary schools.  

"In a highly globalized world, children need to discover the true flavors of each season at home," she said.  

Reflecting on Catalan cuisine, the cook said: "A group of chefs working together has created the brand of Catalan cuisine, from creative to traditional, and we should all be very proud to have such an eclectic, diverse and healthy culinary scene." 

The chef says she is a daughter of a culture where "there was no waste and sustainability was fundamental to survival. In a globalized world, we have to push ourselves to recover these values and put them on the list of urgent goals". 

To learn more about Catalan cuisine and Carme Ruscalleda's career, listen to this episode of our podcast Filling the Sink, in which we interviewed the renowned Catalan chef.