The atrium of MACBA, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, set the stage for the launch of Horitzó, the new fine dining catering service created by Paco Pérez and Hotel Arts Barcelona. Conceived as an extension of their culinary and creative vision, the event brought together a select group of guests in an environment where art, gastronomy, and contemporary language converged naturally.
Since its opening, MACBA has been an international benchmark, both for its ever-growing collection and for its experimental nature and its ability to foster critical reflection on contemporary artistic practice, both globally and within Catalan art. An institution that seeks to go beyond the established to explore the realm of possibility.
The evening began with a welcome reception, where guests were greeted with a glass of Llindar, the cava created by Codorníu especially for Horitzó by winemaker Bruno Colomer together with Paco Pérez. This cava pays tribute to the horizon, where the sea meets the sky, and the land opens to the light. Inspired by the La Fideuera area in Garraf, it is a single-varietal xarel·lo shaped by Mediterranean influence; its freshness and long aging define a limited edition of unique character and unrepeatable expression.
During the cocktail reception, attendees were introduced to Horitzó’s culinary offering through a selection of appetizers, including highlights such as Almond, asparagus and caviar tart; Marinated razor clam; and Clam in a green sea broth. Simultaneously, the exhibition Exploracions a la Mar d’Amunt offered an immersion into Paco Pérez’s creative universe, where the Mar d’Amunt at Costa Brava and the essence of the Empordà region become a source of inspiration for a cuisine understood as artistic expression. Through a sensory journey intertwining nature, creative process, and dialogue with other disciplines, the exhibition revealed a living symbiosis between art and cuisine in constant evolution.
Among the guests were prominent figures from Barcelona’s cultural scene, such as Valentí Oviedo, General Director of the Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu; filmmaker Roger Gual; and Italian architect based in Barcelona Benedetta Tagliabue, along with emerging creatives such as designer Sonia Carrasco, painter José Luis Barquero, and artist Iván Forcadell, all recognised as promising voices within the contemporary creative ecosystem. Together, they took part in an experience that highlighted the cultural and creative dimensions of contemporary gastronomy.
In the MACBA atrium, the space hosting the gathering, three reconstructions from the Ocells-estels (1982) series, one of Aurèlia Muñoz’s most emblematic works were on display. Designed to be installed at great heights and to interact with natural light, these suspended pieces expanded the perception of the atrium, creating a subtle dialogue between artwork, architecture, and experience. The installation serves as a prelude to the major exhibition that the museum will dedicate to the artist in November.
The evening continued with a seated dinner for 64 guests, arranged around an imperial table conceived as a journey through the chef’s universe. The menu included creations such as Recordando a Gaudí, a marine mosaic of tuna and seaweed, shrimp, quisquilla prawns, sea urchin and zamburiña scallop, elevated with caviar, hints of koji, and a delicate touch of wasabi; followed by Tear peas from Maresme at their peak, accompanied by a silky marine base and codium and Wagyu tenderloin with Café Barcelona sauce, served with a smooth potato purée and morel mushrooms to close the savory courses. The experience culminated with the dessert Black trumpet mushroom tocinillo with notes of kumquat, a pillow of mató cheese from Fonteta, yuzu and wasabi sorbet, and suzette sauce. The gastronomic offering was paired with a selection of wines from the Costers del Segre, Alella, and Empordà appellations.
In line with this narrative, Landscapes, a digital art agency with international reach founded in 2020 by members of the MIRA Festival, connecting talent to shape experiences where creativity, art, and technology converge into a shared language, in dialogue with blit.- a creative studio that conceives immersive environments where space, narrative, and presence merge, presented, together with Hotel Arts Barcelona, A Journey into Paco Pérez’s Culinary Universe (2026), a commissioned piece for Horitzó that unfolded as an immersive and sensory experience.
The menu became a journey through the chef’s mind and culinary imagination, transforming gastronomy into an expanded narrative experienced through image, sound, and space. The evening continued until midnight, revealing Horitzó as a project that transcends the traditional concept of catering to become an exercise in collective creation, where gastronomy, environment, and emotion align to shape unprecedented moments. The proposal is rooted in Paco Pérez’s identity, heritage, and meaningful cuisine, as well as to Hotel Arts Barcelona’s culture of excellence and hospitality.
