Emilia Pardo Bazán, as well as being a novelist and playwright, was a pioneer in vindicating the cultural value of Spanish gastronomy. She published two recipe books, "La cocina española antigua" and "La cocina española moderna", which served as inspiration for chefs of later generations.

Manuel María Puga y Parga, part of the same generation as Emilia Pardo Bazán, was mayor of A Coruña on two occasions, in 1915 and 1917. In addition to being a politician, he was a writer, a gourmet and considered by the public to be "the greatest person". He wrote successful works such as "A cociña popular galega e algunhas receitas para coresma", "Pote aldeano", "La cocina práctica", "36 maneras de guisar el bacalao" and "Vigilia reservada". In his honour, we celebrate the Picadillo Tapas Contest in A Coruña today - the oldest tapas contest in Galicia.

There are many who work hard every day to build the good reputation of A Coruña's gastronomy, but these two were undoubtedly the ones who paved the way.