Founded by Ibiza businesswoman Nuria Moreno and Michelin-starred chef Óscar Molina, the initiative was recognised at the 10th Gastro&Cía Awards for using gastronomy to support children with cancer and their families.

A charitable project launched in Ibiza has received national recognition for its work supporting children with cancer and their families through the world of gastronomy.

Estrellas contra el Cáncer, founded by businesswoman Nuria Moreno and Michelin-starred chef Óscar Molina, received the solidarity award at the 10th Gastro&Cía Awards, organised by Spanish newspaper La Razón. The ceremony took place on Wednesday evening, 14 October 2026, at the Museo Palacio del Tiempo, part of the Museos de la Atalaya complex in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia.

Moreno and Molina collected the award on behalf of the wider network of chefs, sponsors, volunteers, businesses and collaborators who have supported the initiative since its beginnings in Ibiza.

The recognition highlights the project's efforts to turn gastronomy into a means of generating support for families facing the challenges of childhood cancer.

From Ibiza to an International Solidarity Project

Estrellas contra el Cáncer was created to bring together leading chefs, including Michelin-starred professionals, for charitable events that raise funds and awareness.

The initiative has held five editions in Ibiza. Its events combine high-level gastronomy with fundraising, bringing together professionals from the culinary sector and businesses willing to contribute to a social cause.

In Ibiza, the project supports ASPANOB, the Balearic Association of Parents of Children with Cancer. The organisation assists families whose children are affected by cancer, including those who need to travel away from the islands to receive specialised treatment.

The support is intended to help address practical needs and expenses that families may face during treatment, complementing the assistance available through the healthcare system.

Supporting Children with Cancer and Their Families

For the project's founders, the central purpose extends beyond the culinary events themselves. The initiative seeks to use the influence and resources of the hospitality sector to help families experiencing a particularly difficult period in their lives.

The founders dedicated the recognition to the chefs who have participated in its different editions, as well as to the sponsors and volunteers who have contributed their time and resources.

They also highlighted the children undergoing cancer treatment and their families, whose needs remain the principal motivation behind the project.

The approach demonstrates how restaurants, chefs and businesses can work together to raise funds and direct attention towards organisations providing practical support to affected families.

Estrellas por el Mundo Expands the Initiative Beyond Ibiza

The project has recently begun expanding internationally through a related initiative called Estrellas por el Mundo.

The programme has already held an activity in Brazil and is preparing a new solidarity initiative in El Salvador, extending the concept beyond the Balearic Islands.

The international expansion aims to preserve the original purpose of Estrellas contra el Cáncer: bringing together recognised culinary professionals, businesses and collaborators to mobilise resources for people facing difficult circumstances.

The work in Brazil and the planned activity in El Salvador represent the next stage in the project's development, although the available announcement does not specify the fundraising totals achieved through these international activities.

A Recognition of Collective Effort

The Gastro&Cía solidarity award acknowledges the project's development and the collective work behind its events.

Moreno and Molina emphasised that the recognition belongs not only to the founders but also to everyone who has helped the initiative grow since it began in Ibiza.

At the ceremony, Moreno summed up the project's philosophy with a message about the people behind the work: “The most important stars are not in the kitchens, but in the people who illuminate the lives of others.”

The award marks another milestone for an initiative that began on the island and is now extending its reach internationally, while continuing to focus on children with cancer and the families who support them.