Vanity Fair España Names José Andrés Its 2026 Person of the Year

Rioja wines were served throughout a Madrid gala honoring chef José Andrés as Vanity Fair España named him its 2026 Person of the Year, linking one of Spain’s best-known wine regions with one of the country’s most visible culinary figures.

The event took place at the Hotel Santo Mauro and brought together guests from the food, business, cultural and social worlds to recognize Andrés for both his professional career and his humanitarian work through World Central Kitchen. The organization has served more than 350 million meals in emergency settings around the world, according to information released about the event.

The appearance of wines from Rioja’s qualified designation of origin, known as DOCa Rioja, was part of the region’s broader strategy of aligning itself with figures who help project Spanish gastronomy and lifestyle abroad. José Andrés, born in Asturias and based for years in the United States, is widely seen as one of the leading international ambassadors of Spanish cooking.

Rioja wines were present during each stage of the evening. Guests were welcomed in the palace gardens with a white Rioja. Dinner, created by chef Rafa Peña and inspired by contemporary Spanish cuisine, was paired with both white and red wines from the denomination. The evening ended with a final toast in honor of Andrés, again with Rioja wines.

Representing the Rioja Regulatory Council at the event were Íñigo Torres, president of its promotion commission, and Íñigo Tapiador, its marketing and communications director. During the ceremony, Tapiador said Rioja and José Andrés share an international outlook and a commitment to innovation within Spanish gastronomy.

“Rioja represents, like José Andrés, a unique combination of international reach and vanguard,” Tapiador said in remarks released after the event. “That is why being present at this tribute is a statement of shared principles.”

He also stressed wine’s role as a social connector during celebrations and public gatherings. “Spain’s most universal wine is the perfect companion to celebrate a man who has made food a language of solidarity, regardless of borders or flags,” he said.

The tribute also highlighted a relationship between Rioja and José Andrés that extends beyond this ceremony. Wines from Rioja are part of the offering at Mercado Little Spain in New York, the food hall developed by Andrés with brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià. The venue has become one of the most visible showcases for Spanish gastronomy in the United States.

For Rioja, the Madrid gala offered another chance to reinforce its international profile by associating its wines with prominent names and projects that carry Spanish food culture abroad. In this case, that meant joining an evening centered not only on culinary achievement but also on the use of food as humanitarian aid.

The recognition of Andrés came at a moment when his public image continues to rest on two parallel tracks: his role as a chef and restaurateur who helped expand awareness of Spanish cuisine internationally, and his leadership at World Central Kitchen, which has built much of its reputation by responding quickly to disasters and conflicts with large-scale meal service. That dual identity shaped the tone of the evening in Madrid, where celebration of his career was closely tied to acknowledgment of his relief work.

For Rioja, whose producers have long sought visibility in export markets, especially in the United States, such appearances are also part of a wider effort to keep the denomination connected to high-profile culinary settings. By appearing at events tied to internationally recognized chefs and institutions, Rioja strengthens its place not only as a wine category but also as part of a broader image of Spanish dining culture.

That strategy has become increasingly important as wine regions compete for attention through partnerships that go beyond traditional tastings or trade fairs. In this case, Rioja used a social and cultural event in Madrid to underline its connection to prestige dining, global recognition and Spanish identity abroad.

The gala at Santo Mauro did not center on wine alone, but Rioja’s presence throughout the reception, dinner and closing toast ensured that the denomination remained visible during one of Spain’s notable society events tied to gastronomy this year. For José Andrés, it was another public recognition of a career that spans restaurants, media visibility and humanitarian action. For Rioja, it was another step in tying its brand to figures with strong international resonance.