Cuban Ropa Vieja Faces Off Against Ecuadorian Encebollado in Ibai Llanos' Global Food Championship

The Cuban dish ropa vieja is set to compete against Ecuadorian encebollado in the round of 16 at the 2026 Global Food Championship hosted by popular Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos. This viral culinary tournament, now in its second year, engages millions of social media followers in voting for their favorite dishes.

Ibai introduced the matchup in an Instagram video, which garnered 65,000 likes and over 5,800 comments. He posed a straightforward question to his viewers: "Who should advance to the next round, Cuban ropa vieja or Ecuadorian encebollado? It's your turn to vote and decide."

In the clip, Ibai described ropa vieja as a shredded beef stew made with onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, olives, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and beef broth, noting its Canary Islands origins.

Ropa Vieja's Historical Roots

Indeed, ropa vieja has its roots in medieval Spanish cuisine, with influences from Sephardic traditions, arriving in Cuba via Canarian immigrants in the 19th century. The first recorded mention of the dish on the island dates back to 1857.

The Cuban version differs from the Canarian by omitting chickpeas and focusing on shredded beef with a sofrito. It stands alongside roast pork and arroz congrí as one of Cuba's national dishes.

Encebollado's Strong Standing

Meanwhile, encebollado boasts strong credentials. This tuna soup, flavored with yuca, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili, cumin, and lime, and served with chifles, was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ecuador in July 2024.

Ibai acknowledged the rival dish's reputation, referring to it as "the legendary encebollado that participated in last year's breakfast championship." That event, according to the influencer, was "historically significant, with street demonstrations and TV programs" discussing the competition. Peru won that contest with its pan con chicharrón, edging out Venezuela by a narrow margin of 12.8 million votes to 12.6 million.

The Road to the Championship

The 2026 Global Food Championship was announced on August 20 with a lineup of 16 countries, with followers selecting the representative dishes for each nation.

Other matchups in the round of 16 include Spain versus Argentina, Paraguay against Uruguay, Peru facing Honduras, Guatemala battling Mexico, the Dominican Republic versus Colombia, Venezuela opposing El Salvador, and Bolivia taking on Chile.

Voting takes place on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Cuba hopes its ropa vieja can propel the nation forward in this tournament, where national culinary pride becomes a cultural movement with continental reach.