San Sebastián, April 27-28, 2024
The Global Premium Water Conference, known as FineWaters SUMMIT and the Bottled Water TASTE & DESIGN AWARDS 2024, will be held in Donostia-San Sebastián on April 26-28 and hosted in collaboration with the prestigious Basque Culinary Center (BCC) and supported by TOB Strategy and sponsored by Solan de Cabras.
All events will take place at the Basque Culinary Center (map), which is a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the center of Donostia-San Sebastián.
Presentations and Speakers
Saturday, April 27th
09:00 - 09:20 Welcome | Jose Mari Aizega & Michael Mascha
09:20 - 09:40 Food Trends | Yasser Rios
09:40 - 10:00 Liquid Gastronomy | Jorge Navarro
10:00 - 10:20 Epicurean Integration of Water | Michael Mascha
10:20 - 10:40 Cooking with Water | Silvia Stefanuca-Serban
10:40 - 11:00 Terroir from Geology | Antunes Da Silva
11:00 - 11:20 Natural” Carbonation | Leonela Nikollaj
11:20 - 11:40 N2O + CO2 carbonation | Guus Urlings
11:40 - 12:00 Tasting Session
12:00 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 15:00 “Epicurean Portfolio” Distributor Presentations
15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 - 16:40 Distribution Solutions & Discussion | Pat Eckert
16:40 - 17:00 Solan de Cabras Terroir Presentation | Michael Tanousis
17:00 - 19:00 Cocktails & Pintxos on the Terrace
Sunday, April 28th
09:00 - 09:15 Drinking | Elena Berg
09:15 - 09:30 Water Experience Spaces | Jonathan Primeau
09:30 - 09:45 Pinto Lab AI Presentation | Sungwon Ahn
09:45 - 10:00 LAKE Web3 Presentation | Jacques Chastenet
10:00 - 12:00 “Epicurean Integration” Brand presentations
UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM
The Basque Culinary Center, renowned for its innovative approach to food and beverage research, offers the perfect backdrop for the conference. Nestled at the intersection of training, innovation, research, and entrepreneurship, this unique ecosystem aligns perfectly with the essence of FineWaters SUMMIT 2024.
EPICUREAN INTEGRATION OF WATERS
Under the overarching theme of "Epicurean Integration of Waters," FineWaters SUMMIT 2024 aims to elevate premium water to the forefront of the Epicurean table. Beyond mere hydration, the conference will explore the flavor of water, the art of gastrophysics, water and food pairings, water and wine pairings, and other innovative concepts to transform water into an essential tool for creating culinary experiences.
DIVERSE PROGRAM
During the one-and-a-half-day conference, attendees can expect enlightening presentations from prominent brands, distributors, water sommeliers, and chefs. The program will delve into the rich history and storytelling behind the premium water category, strategic brand positioning, and tackling the global distribution challenges brands face. The event will serve as a platform for networking and knowledge-sharing among industry leaders and water enthusiasts.
TASTE & DESIGN AWARDS 2024
Before the conference, the much-anticipated TASTE & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 will take place. A jury of 5 international water sommeliers will judge 100 waters worldwide, highlighting excellence in taste and design. Following the award ceremony, attendees will indulge in the renowned Water Experience Dinner, an immersive experience guided by international water sommeliers featuring up to 100 distinct water samples and food pairings created by the chefs of the BCC.
REGISTRATION
The registration is $975 per person, including the conference, the Water Experience Dinner on Friday 26th, and lunch and coffee break.
Click to Register
HOTEL INFORMATION
Due to a small number of large hotels and a very busy city, there is no hotel that can accommodate us all. This allows for individual choices and will not impact our SUMMIT as all events will take place at the BCC, a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the center of Donostia-San Sebastián.
We have negotiated special rates for four hotels in various locations, and they are listed below. The code “FINEWATERS” will unlock the special rate.
LASALA Plaza Hotel | lasalaplazahotel.com
Luxury Hotel in the heart of Donostiarra's Old Town right on the bay with an amazing roof terrace.
5 km or 12 minutes by taxi to BCC
Zinema7 Hotel | zinema7hotel.com
A favorite movie-themed hotel favored by guests of the San Sebastian Film Festival.
4 km or 7 minutes by taxi to BCC
Zenith San Sebastian | sansebastian.zenithoteles.com
A modern, stylish hotel with all four-star hotel services at a reasonable price, 3 minutes walking distance to the Zinema7 hotel.
4 km or 7 minutes by taxi to BCC
ARIMA | arimahotel.com
4-star superior luxury boutique hotel located next to the BCC
1 km and 10 minutes walk to BCC
The Social Hub San Sebastián | thesocialhub.co
Recently opened, The Social Hub San Sebastián is much more than a hotel, it is a meeting point for those looking to connect, where you can enjoy its modern facilities. On-site parking and restaurant. It includes also free coworking areas for guests and bicycles to rent. 15% discount: Code FINEWATERS
5 km or 10 minutes by taxi to BCC
2,5-3 km to city centre
If you prefer other accommodations, please use your favorite booking app to make your own arrangements. The old town is very picturesque and full of bars and restaurants but also very noisy, but there are many quieter areas a short walk from the Old Town (map) like the LASALA.
TRAVEL INFO
There are flights on IBERIA from Madrid to San Sebastian (EAS) and the flight time is about 1 hour. There are also trains from Madrid to San Sebastian, which take about 5 hours. The most convenient is a flight to Bilbao (BIO) as it has many international connections. There is a bus service just outside the terminal with an hourly connection to San Sebastian directly from the airport. The bus takes 1:15 minutes and departs from 07:45 to 23:45 once per hour. The ticket is 17,10 euros.
