Following five days of collaborative cooking in San Salvador, the inaugural Fine Dining Table International Gala unveiled Los Fuegos 2026: 508 distinctions awarded to restaurants and hotels across 16 countries. El Salvador claimed 43 recognized establishments, two of them earning Three Fuegos (Tres Fuegos), the club’s highest honor.
Between Monday, October 12, and Friday, October 16, more than 100 chefs and over 35 international media outlets toured San Salvador across 27 four-, six-, and eight-handed lunches and dinners—featuring two, three, or four chefs cooking together. Restaurants such as La Doña, Pecado Migrante, Nomad Pizza, El Xolo, Casa Fuego, Ocelot, and Monarca opened their kitchens to culinary teams from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. According to organizers, each gathering was a one-time-only experience.
The finale was the first Fine Dining Table International Gala, held at the National Palace of El Salvador. Fine Dining Table is an international membership community for dining, hospitality, and lifestyle experiences that connects its members with curated restaurants, hotels, and events across Latin America, the United States, and Europe. There, Los Fuegos 2026—the organization’s proprietary award—were revealed. An international committee of experts and anonymous inspectors evaluates cuisine, hospitality, service, design, identity, ambiance, consistency, and the emotional resonance of each venue. The awards remained sealed until the Gala.
The 508 distinctions span five categories covering restaurants and hotels across 16 countries:
| Distinction | Meaning | Distinctions |
| Three Fuegos (Tres Fuegos) | An experience that leaves a lasting impression and a legacy. Highest distinction. | 63 |
| Two Fuegos (Dos Fuegos) | An experience that justifies the trip. | 95 |
| One Fuego (Un Fuego) | Timeless excellence: where chefs eat and travelers return. | 146 |
| Recommended | A discovery worth sharing. | 174 |
| Best Wellness Hotels | Hotels where guests return home better than when they arrived. | 30 |
| Total | 16 countries | 508 |
El Salvador, the host nation, featured 43 recognized venues:
| Distinction | El Salvador |
| Three Fuegos | El Xolo · Monarca |
| Two Fuegos | Casa Fuego · Casa Marina · Gracia · Il Buongustaio · Kemuri · KWA · Ocelot · Pecado Migrante |
| One Fuego | 13 establishments |
| Recommended | 20 establishments |
“Having El Xolo and Monarca receive Three Fuegos—the same distinction earned by El Mercado at Faena, Boragó, Central, El Chato, or Leo—is not a courtesy extended to the host. It is the result of an evaluation process applied uniformly across the entire region,” stated José De la Barra, CEO of Fine Dining Table.
Of the 63 Three Fuegos honors, 56 went to Latin America and seven were presented as special international recognitions: Estragón, Kulto, and Triciclo (Spain); El Cielo Miami and El Cielo New York (United States); Tacos del Valle (Mexico); and Aguají (Dominican Republic).
Five Lifetime Achievement Awards were also presented during the Gala:
- Leonor Espinosa (Leo, Colombia)
- Juan Manuel Barrientos (founder of El Cielo, Colombia)
- Rudi Scholdis (Casa de Amalia, Chile)
- Emiliano Yulita (El Mercado – Faena, Argentina)
- Chef Tita (Dominican Republic)
“Los Fuegos are not awarded for presence or sponsorship. They are earned at the table, visit by visit, with inspectors whom no one sees coming,” noted Alexander de Mondey, co-founder of Fine Dining Table.
The edition was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, CORSATUR, and the Historic Center Authority of San Salvador, aligning with a broader strategy to integrate gastronomy into the country’s international tourism profile. Banco Cuscatlán, Ron Zacapa, Mizata, and Porsche participated as Gold sponsors.
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