Manuel Franco participates as a jury member at the 2026 Casello d’Oro Awards for Parmigiano Reggiano
Being part of the jury at the Casello d’Oro, the competition organized by the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano, means taking part in one of the most demanding gatherings dedicated to this iconic product.
The competition recognizes the finest Parmigiano Reggiano productions through technical tastings carried out by international experts, producers, and industry professionals. It is an exercise in analysis, sensory precision, and deep product knowledge.
Manuel Franco served as one of the jurors in this edition, following an invitation that arose after the JRE Spain National Convention held last September at his restaurant. During that event, as part of a European JRE initiative focused on Parmigiano Reggiano, Borja Marrero, Seve Díaz, and Manuel himself created a special menu with this cheese as the central element. From there, the proposal to join the Casello d’Oro jury followed.
Manuel had the opportunity to experience three intense days which, as he shares, allowed him “above all, to meet very interesting people, some of the leading international experts in the world of cheese, not only Parmigiano but also producers, entrepreneurs…”
Throughout the competition, Manu deepened his understanding of the product’s characteristics and the excellence that defines it: “I learned a great deal about this type of cheese, its characteristics, how to identify the best examples, recipes created by other chefs, and different ways of working with this cheese.”
Beyond the technical learning, he highlights the human impact of the experience:
“Participating in this kind of event is undoubtedly very enriching, first on a human level, because you meet extraordinary people. And then, as a chef, it allows you to learn new techniques and deepen your knowledge of the product…”
At JRE Spain, we celebrate his participation in the Casello d’Oro and the recognition of his professional judgment, which continues to project the talent of our members in highly demanding international contexts.
