“La Calçotada” a new dutch tradition coming from Barcelona

La Calçotada is the most popular food tradition in Barcelona during the first part of the year. In Barcelona and the entire surrounding region of Catalunya, that fresh start of the year is celebrated with a La Calçotada. A joyous, messy outdoor feast of grilled sweet green onions called calçots, dipped in a thick and nutty Romesco sauce with a kick and washed down with red wine streamed directly to your mouth from a porrón pitcher held high in the air.

This tradition has made it to The Netherlands since 2014 thanks to Dr. Julià Delos, former Philips Researcher, that brought it to Eindhoven. What started with the idea of sharing it with five friends turned into a 100 people festival in Ketelhuisplein, in the old Phillips neighborhood Strijp-s. The popular event continued until the year 2020 that had to be canceled because of the COVID pandemic. The event hosted around 500 people yearly and imported more than 30.000 Calçots from Catalonia. 

Delos realized that the Calçots are The Happiest Onions on Earth. They bring joy and positivity to the people that celebrate this tradition. Julià Delos founded a Dutch startup La Calçotada to internationalize the joyful experience of la Calçotada and share love and happiness with onions.