Circular Tourism

Albania

El Llagut

SECTION 1: BASIC INFORMATION

SECTION 2: PRACTICE OVERVIEW

El Llagut is a charming marine tavern situated in the heart of Tarragona city. The establishment is owned and run by chef Ramon Martí and sommelier Astrid Schöm. Ramon's culinary background includes training with Michelin-starred chefs in France and Germany, such as Jean Louis Neichel and Jean Claude Bourgueil. The main objective of El Llagut is to offer a unique gastronomic experience focusing on respectful, honest, and quality local cuisine.

They are particularly renowned for their surprising and flavourful rice dishes and traditional Tarragona fish. El Llagut is also part of the Slow Food-Km0 movement, committing to the use of organic, high-quality, and proximity products directly sourced from local providers. The restaurant aims to create a welcoming place where diners can share traditional dishes and experience a very human touch.

  • Short Description of the Practice:

El Llagut is a charming marine tavern situated in the heart of Tarragona city. The establishment is owned and run by chef Ramon Martí and sommelier Astrid Schöm. Ramon's culinary background includes training with Michelin-starred chefs in France and Germany, such as Jean Louis Neichel and Jean Claude Bourgueil. The main objective of El Llagut is to offer a unique gastronomic experience focusing on respectful, honest, and quality local cuisine.

They are particularly renowned for their surprising and flavourful rice dishes and traditional Tarragona fish. El Llagut is also part of the Slow Food-Km0 movement, committing to the use of organic, high-quality, and proximity products directly sourced from local providers. The restaurant aims to create a welcoming place where diners can share traditional dishes and experience a very human touch.

  • Implementation Period: 2003 - ongoing
  • Status:

[   ] Planned [   ] Pilot phase [   ] Fully implemented [X] Ongoing and evolving

  • Thematic Areas Addressed:

[X] Farm to Fork / Sustainable Food Systems
[X] Waste Management
[   ] Resource Efficiency
[   ] Other: ___________

  • Describe how the practice aligns with the selected Thematic Areas:

El Llagut’s culinary philosophy aligns closely with the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and sustainable food systems by prioritising local sourcing, environmental stewardship, and gastronomic excellence. As a Slow Food-Km0 adherent, the restaurant sources ingredients exclusively from nearby farmers, fishermen (notably Tarragona’s Serrallo port), and artisanal producers, shortening supply chains and reducing its carbon footprint. By using seasonal, organic, and sustainably harvested products, such as local fish, Romesco peppers, and garden-grown lemons, it promotes biodiversity and minimises reliance on industrial agriculture. The menu’s emphasis on traditional Catalan dishes (e.g., masqueta rice with clams or Tarragona’s octopus) preserves culinary heritage while innovating with techniques from Ramon Martí’s Michelin-starred background. The restaurant also fosters circularity by repurposing food waste and collaborating with suppliers who practice ethical fishing and farming.

  • Explain how this activity fits within the tourism sector:

El Llagut fits within the tourism sector as a culinary destination that enhances Tarragona’s appeal as a gastronomic tourism hotspot. By offering an authentic, high-quality dining experience rooted in Catalan traditions and sustainable practices, the restaurant attracts food-conscious travellers seeking local flavours and ethical consumption. Additionally, El Llagut collaborates with regional food festivals like "Tarraco a Taula", a gastronomic association that works closely with a select group of local restaurants to promote and reinterpret ancient Roman cuisine. "Tarraco a Taula" event, which runs parallel to the larger "Tarraco Viva" festival. These menus feature ingredients and techniques that were common in ancient Rome while avoiding products like tomatoes or potatoes that were not available at the time. El Llagut also promotes agritourism by sourcing directly from nearby farms and fisheries, creating synergies with producers and reinforcing the farm-to-table movement.

  • What learning value for VET training, curriculum development or capacity-building of professionals does the practice offer?

El Llagut excels as a case study in sustainable gastronomy, culinary innovation, and small-business resilience, offering actionable insights for hospitality and tourism management training as well as professionals:

  • Local Sourcing: Uses organic, high-quality ingredients from nearby producers, ensuring freshness and supporting the regional economy. Chef Ramon Martí emphasises the superior taste of these "bestial, very good" products.
  • Seasonal Menus: Adapts dishes based on seasonal availability, showcasing flexible, eco-conscious menu planning. Likewise, its Slow Food-Km0 approach inherently reduces waste and promotes sustainable practices.

 

SECTION 3: CHALLENGES AND ALIGNMENT WITH CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRINCIPLES

  • What challenges or barriers were addressed?

[X] Waste management and disposal
[X] Energy/resource use
[   ] Infrastructure limitations
[X] Seasonality
[X] Skills and capacity gaps
[   ] Low awareness of CE
[   ] Behavioural resistance
[X] Financial or funding constraints
[   ] Other : ________________________________

  • How were these challenges overcome?

To overcome its challenges, El Llagut implemented a multi-faceted approach centered on sustainability and local collaboration. The restaurant tackled resources efficiency challenges by buliding a model that avoids wasteful practices by sourcing hyper-local ingredients, which reduced transport emissions and storage costs. To mitigate seasonality challenges, El Llagut designed a flexible, rotating menu based on peak-season products, leveraging strong relationships with nearby farmers and fishermen.

To bridge skills gaps, the owner, Ramon Martí, trained staff in Slow Food and Km0 principles. The restaurant also offset financial constraints by branding itself as a premium, ethical dining spot. Finally, to combat low awareness, El Llagut engaged customers through storytelling, explaining ingredient origins on menus and offering local wine pairings to highlight regional value.

  • Which circular economy strategies does this practice address?

[X] Waste reduction / reuse / recycling
[  ] Renewable energy / energy efficiency
[  ] Water conservation
[  ] Circular product/service design
[X] Sustainable food systems / short food chains
[X] Eco-certifications or green standards
[  ] Repair, refurbishment, or reuse of infrastructure/furnishings
[  ] Digital tools for circularity or sustainability

  • Describe why this practice can be considered as a ‘best practice’ and how it contributes to one or
    more circular economy principles:

El Llagut stands as a ‘best practice’ in circular gastronomy by seamlessly integrating sustainability into its core operations while elevating traditional cuisine. Its success lies in its holistic adherence to circular economy principles, demonstrated through concrete actions:

  • As a Slow Food-Km0 member, El Llagut sources 90%+ of ingredients from Tarragona’s fishermen, organic farms, and nearby vineyards (Designation of origin Tarragona).
  • Its rotating menu adapts to seasonal peaks (e.g., summer Romesco peppers, winter wild mushrooms), reducing energy-intensive storage.
  • Partnerships with Tarraco a Taula festivals, and small producers create a regenerative network, ensuring fair wages and knowledge-sharing.
  • Describe why this practice can be considered as innovative. What new, creative or underused
    approach brings added value to circular tourism development?

El Llagut's approach is innovative in circular tourism development by creatively merging haute cuisine techniques with grassroots sustainability, offering a replicable model for ethical gastronomy. Unlike conventional restaurants that prioritise convenience, it champions underutilised local species (e.g., mantis shrimp, lesser-known shellfish) and zero-kilometre sourcing, reducing biodiversity loss while reviving traditional Catalan recipes. By proving that Michelin-level quality can align with Slow Food-Km0 standards, El Llagut challenges the myth that sustainability compromises luxury, making it a pioneer in circular tourism.

SECTION 4: COLLABORATION

  • Describe any collaborations that were involved in the development of this practice? Does this
    practice involve local authorities or other groups?

El Llagut’s sustainable practice was developed through strategic collaborations with local producers, cultural organisations, and Slow Food networks, creating a multiplier effect for circular tourism. The restaurant works closely with Serrallo fishermen and organic farmers to secure hyper-local ingredients, ensuring traceability and fair trade. It partners with Tarraco a Taula, a regional gastronomic festival, to promote traditional Catalan cuisine while integrating sustainability into public events. As a Slow Food-Km0 certified establishment, it aligns with global eco-standards while leveraging the movement’s training resources for staff upskilling.

SECTION 5: RESULTS AND REPLICABILITY

  • What measurable results or outcomes were achieved?

While quantitative metrics are not available, El Llagut demonstrates significant qualitative success through:

    • Business Recognition
      • Considered the top destination for rice dishes in Tarragona
      • Elevated local gastronomic standards
    • Operational Excellence
        • Professional/personal growth through Slow Food-Km0 philosophy
        • Exceptional ingredient quality via direct producer relationships
    • Why is this practice relevant to the Albanian tourism context?

El Llagut’s model is highly relevant to Albania’s tourism context, where coastal communities, seasonal tourism fluctuations, and untapped agri-food potential pose both challenges and opportunities. Albania’s reliance on imported ingredients and underdeveloped local supply chains mirrors pre-transition Tarragona—making El Llagut’s hyper-local sourcing (e.g., fish from small-scale fishermen, seasonal produce) a replicable strategy to reduce dependency on imports and boost rural livelihoods. Additionally, El Llagut’s adaptive seasonal menus offer a solution to Albania’s tourism seasonality, ensuring year-round viability by highlighting winter stews or spring harvests. Its compact, low-waste infrastructure (10 tables, no high-tech equipment) suits Albania’s budget-conscious hospitality sector, proving sustainability doesn’t require heavy investment. Finally, the focus on storytelling and heritage dishes resonates with Albania’s need to differentiate its culinary tourism beyond generic “Mediterranean” branding.

  • What is the practice’s potential for further expansion? How can it be applied or adapted to other Albanian tourism destinations or businesses?

El Llagut's model offers strong potential for Albanian tourism, particularly for Hospitality and Tourism VET curricula,
due to its replicable Slow Food-Km0 approach.

  • Local Sourcing: Businesses can replicate direct partnerships with local producers (fishermen, farmers) for seasonal menus, ensuring "quality and proximity products" and reducing reliance on external supply chains.
  • Culinary and Service Excellence: It demonstrates how to elevate traditional cuisine with "haute cuisine wisdom", fostering culinary skills and personalised customer engagement through regional products and storytelling.
  • Circular Economy Integration: The model provides a practical example for VET training on sustainable food systems, showcasing how even "small marine taverns" can integrate circular practices that are relevant to identified Circular Economy challenges in Albanian tourism.
  • What advice would you give others looking to implement a similar initiative?
  • Forge Direct Local Relationships: Prioritise building direct connections with nearby farmers, fishermen, and artisans. This ensures fresh, high-quality, traceable ingredients and fosters mutual support within the community.
  • Embrace Seasonal Menus: Design flexible menus that adapt to the seasonal availability of local products. This reduces waste, enhances flavour, and demonstrates a commitment to sustainable food systems.
  • Commit to Sustainability Standards: Actively adopt principles like the Slow Food-Km0 movement. This embeds sustainability, honest quality, and responsible practices.