The ghost kitchen located in the Madrid district of Tetuan, where ‘The great Mediterranean family’ of the chef dani garciahas received the order of cessation and closure by the City Council of the capital. This was confirmed last Friday by the municipal delegate for Urban Development, Mariano Fuentes, assuring that, although these businesses are legal, they must comply with regulations that do not cause problems of coexistence with neighbors.
This was not the case with this industrial kitchen that had been active for about a year on Morando Street in the aforementioned district, an installation that associations such as Neighbors of the Ventilladenouncing the bad smell, the heat, the noise and other problems derived from the activity of this kitchen model without a place of consumption.
The ones known as dark kitchens took off in Spain as a result of the pandemic as a very profitable business model to create hospitality businesses and expand existing brands, focused as restaurants with 100% home serviceand which was a saving alternative at that time even for haute cuisine and Michelin star chefs.
Danny Garciaknown for having built his name into a profitable brand name with numerous restaurants and businesses around the world, took advantage of of this system by launching its own label, ‘La gran familia Mediterráneo’, which surprised by its quality in its beginnings, although it has been transforming its offer since then, almost completely changing the initial menu.
The neighborhood fight against the smell of Michelin star fritanga
The success of the brand, the star chef from Malaga, led to expanding the distribution areas by opening new industrial kitchens that already sparked controversy in 2021 with the protests of the ghost kitchens on Calle José Calvo, in Tetuán itself. So, the cook claimed that his company only works in premises owned by old restaurantsassuring that that space was a exception and that it would be abandoned in a few weeks.
José Calvo is the only one and we are leaving next month. We have 11 in Spain and they normally occupy sites of old restaurants.
– Dani Garcia (@danigarcia_ca) June 10, 2021
However, shortly after, he would open a new ghost kitchen with similar characteristics in the same district, now on Morando Street, in the neighborhood of window.
According to the neighbors themselves have been denouncingin the summer of 2021 “illegal works” were launched in a place on the aforementioned street that “has a license for ‘Artisan workshop to make 3D models of works’, and not for industrial kitchens. Therefore, they say, the activity launched shortly after under the brand of ‘The great Mediterranean family’ was illegaland also turned neighborhood life in a daily suffering.
With an activity from 10 in the morning until midnight, the four industrial chimneys They emit bad odors throughout the day, generating deafening noises due to the operation of the extractor fans, which also emit constant heat. “The smell of fried food permeates the neighborhood, causing an unhealthy environment, itchy eyes and throat. Thermal pollution is also evident and, believe us, unbearable with the heat waves that devastate Madrid in summer.”
Dani Garcia has an ILLEGAL industrial activity from Monday to Friday, from 10am to midnight NON-STOP. The noise of the extractor tubes (which do not comply with the regulations) is deafening, like having the turbine of an airplane next to your window for 14 hours from Monday to Friday. pic.twitter.com/NDsJHu4XKR
– NeighborsDeLaVentilla (@VVentilla) September 9, 2021
After months of protests and complaints, the Association assured that last Tuesday the Municipal Police notified the “cease and demolish” order of this industrial kitchen, but activity continued until the weekend.
The Urban Development delegate assured on Friday that the City Council has created a new regulations to regulate this type of business in such a way that they do not interfere with the rest and life of the neighbors, for which “all the necessary inspections are being carried out and verifying that all the mechanisms are fulfilled”. If not fulfilled, he affirmed, these premises will be closed and the corresponding fines will be imposed.
This regulation indicates that this type of industrial hospitality business must have a maximum space of 350 square meters, and no more than eight kitchens. In addition, they must dispose inside the necessary waiting, loading and unloading areas and stay of the carriers, and industrial estates are prioritized for their installation.
Other associations neighborhoods of the capital and also in cities like Barcelona They carry time fighting against these industrial kitchens that continue operating in urban centers, even next to schools, even though, in theory, residential areas should be avoided.
The great book of the Michelin Guide
In DAP | The food industry signs up for ghost kitchens: Pescanova and Campofrío launch their own virtual ‘delivery’ restaurants
In DAP | The largest ghost kitchens in Madrid suffer a fire before even starting to operate