AUTHENTIC SEGOVIAN GASTRONOMY
HONORARY TITLE
Title of Chief Innkeeper of Castile
The title of Mesonero Mayor de Castilla is an honorary distinction awarded to an individual for demonstrating exceptional excellence in the field of hospitality and gastronomy in Castile, Spain. This title recognizes dedication and commitment to the culinary traditions of the region.
Cándido López Sanz. owner of Mesón de Cándido, was the first person to receive this title, which “rewards a lifetime of dedication and work to Spanish gastronomy,” as expressed by King Juan Carlos I.
The title of Chief Innkeeper of Castile was awarded to Cándido López by the Brotherhood of the Twelve Apostles, an entity that recognizes those who have contributed significantly to Castilian gastronomy, and the name of the title came from Nobel Prize winner Vicente Aleixandre.
Finally, on November 24, 1983, a few years after having received the title from the brotherhood, King Juan Carlos I officially endorsed this title, consolidating Cándido as the greatest Castilian innkeeper of the time.
BOOK “CÁNDIDO, MESONERO DE LEYENDA”
We must go back to 1949, more than 70 years ago. It was in our dining rooms where a member of the Brotherhood of the Twelve Apostles decided that Cándido was worthy of this decoration.
The Brotherhood was made up of a group of intellectuals and journalists, among whom the politician Francisco Guillén Salaya stood out. We find other names such as Francisco Casares, Emilio Romero, Luca de Tena, Escobar, Ferreira, Aparicio, Pedro Chicote, Luis Cano Lozano, Bustillo, Pozuelo and Félix Valencia.
This renowned group had the custom of meeting once a month and, every year, the Mesón de Cándido had the honour of receiving them. After each meal, they offered erudite and interesting reflections, so everyone at the inn awaited them with enthusiasm and excitement. We dressed our house in the best clothes and drummers and dulzaineros welcomed the Brotherhood. It was a real spectacle.
It was this prestigious group who named Cándido Mesonero Mayor of Castile. Coinciding with his 80th birthday, King Juan Carlos endorsed this title, which has become one of our greatest treasures.
Following Cándido’s death in 1992, King Juan Carlos I granted this title to Cándido’s son, Alberto Cándido López, the third generation of the family, who continued the family legacy in Segovia, preserving the family tradition at the Mesón de Cándido, rewarding a lifetime of dedication and work to Spanish gastronomy.
Maximum REFERENCES OF the gastronomy of Segovia
Find out more about Candido
To learn more about the life and legacy of Cándido López, the Segovian innkeeper who brought roast suckling pig to international fame, visit his Wikipedia page or his biography at the Royal Academy of History.
