Creativity, seasonality, textures, shades or combinations, points in common between fashion and gastronomy.

"Fashion and gastronomy go hand in hand: creativity, seasonality, textures, tonalities, combinations... There are many points in common". Mario Sandoval, Spanish chef founder of the 3 Michelin-starred restaurant Coque, participated in the ISEM 2020 Alumni Christmas Meeting. The renowned chef held an interesting talk with Teresa Sádaba, director of ISEM Fashion Business School, in which the similarities between the world of fashion and gastronomy were analyzed.

"That part of nonconformism that characterizes fashion and the nonconformism that we chefs have is what makes us always verging on excellence or on the road to excellence," said Mario Sandoval and specified that "in neither sector can you stand still. In this sense, the chef pointed out that gastronomy also follows trends and that, for example, as in fashion, "working in favor of sustainability is no longer an alternative, it is an obligation".

When asked about his vocation for cooking, Sandoval explained that he developed his own language in the kitchen from "a family legacy where the most important thing was the search for good raw materials and offering good customer service". Thus, after overcoming a complicated situation like the current one, Mario Sandoval is left with the phrase of one of his last customers: "Thanks to restaurants like you, who make people happy, Spain will move forward".

A special Christmas meeting

Due to the circumstances caused by the pandemic, the traditional ISEM Alumni Christmas Meeting was held, for the first time in 20 years, online. After the interview with Mario Sandoval, Teresa Sádaba gave way to Cristina Saracho and Alberto Durán, president and vice-president of the ISEM Alumni Board respectively, who commented on the news of the alumni group for the new academic year.

Among these novelties, they announced the launch of the Alumni Report newsletter, a publication "by all alumni and for all alumni". It is a quarterly digital magazine that includes interviews with alumni, news about ISEM, the agenda of upcoming events at the School... In addition, ISEM wants to help ensure that contact between the different graduating classes is not lost over the years. For this reason, Saracho and Durán announced that the School will organize meetings by graduating class to see and chat with former classmates.