A group of students from the Degree in Gastronomy at the (Universidad Europea del Atlántico) (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO) had the opportunity to attend the second day of the EDA Drinks Summit 2026, accompanied by professor Marina Pelayo, held in the auditorium of the Basque Culinary Center (BCC) of San Sebastián. The meeting, organized by EDA Drinks & Wine Campus, brought together more than a hundred international professionals to analyze the evolution of consumption and innovation in beverages.
The day began with the presentation of the D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. concept and the thematic focus The Future of Drinks Is Coexistence, by Elisa Ucar, director of EDA Drinks & Wine Campus. Lars Williams and Rodrigo Nincao, co-founders of Empirical Spirits, gave the talk Spirits for the Curious, focusing on fermentation, distillation and radical innovation applied to flavor. They were followed by Jogile Bulavaite, from the restaurant Alchemist, with Creating Borderless Pairings for Gastronomic Experiences, an exploration of non-alcoholic beverages or No and low alcohol (NoLo).
In addition, the students of UNEATLANTICO listened to Tomás Ucha who presented Metamorfosis, a presentation on the creative universe of DiverXO in the field of beverages, proposing new consumption models that break with traditional schemes.
After a tasting break, where students had the opportunity to meet experts and try out the products they mentioned, Monica Berg from Elementary gave the workshop The Invisible Structure: Designing Coexistence, Shaping Spaces, in which he explored how to design liquid experiences that foster coexistence between people, drinks and spaces. Toni Ortiz, Innovation Manager of Mahou San Miguel, then explained the brand’s innovation processes and the development of new proposals adapted to a constantly changing consumer.
The day ended with a panel discussion entitled The Future of Drinks – Coexistence in Action, starring François Monti from 50 Best Bars for Spain and Portugal, Mario Villalón de Angelita Madrid, Kristell Monot, Head Sommelier de Mugaritz and Elvira Aldaz, a journalist specializing in sake and shochu, which discussed the challenges and opportunities of a sector in full transformation.
For the students of UNEATLANTICO, the day was a direct immersion in the avant-garde in the world of beverages. A unique opportunity to learn from professionals who are redefining the future of the industry.