They are not alone, and never better said. The new times in the Spanish hospitality industry that fights for stars or recognition are substantially different from what was experienced until very recently. Although it is difficult to put a date on this transition, the truth is that The new school is no longer known by its own name, but for several.
Grown in the shelter of references such as Martín Berasategui, Juan Mari Arzak, Paco Roncero, Ramón Freixa either Andoni Luis Adurizthe reality is that in Spain—until not so long ago—it seemed that haute cuisine was a matter of a single person in charge. He was obviously not alone. There are chefs, restaurant managers and maîtressommeliers, but the name of the cook, apart from occupying most of the cover, also arrived separately.
However, times change and kitchen dynamics change. At least in terms of the number of protagonists, it has changed. Because? The reasons are very diverse, but the truth is that there are more and more ‘star’ restaurants where the protagonists come in pairs.
The Cañitas Maite universe with Juan Sahuquillo and Javi Sanz; also in Zafra, with Carmen Pelaez and Javo Gassibe from Acebuche; Gorka Rico and Javier Rivero, Revelation Chefs at Madrid Fusión 2023, at Ama Taberna; Xosé Magalhães and Lydia del Olmo in Ceibe, Orense; of the Cuenca adventure Olga Garcia and Alex Paz in Fuentelgato; Carolina Sanchez and Iñaki Murúa from the Logroño Ikaro; the Castellón path of Alejandra Herrador and Emanuel Carlucci from Watchtower; Adrian Bosch and Eduardo Dominguez in San Hô; Rafa Panatieri and Jorge Sastre (in the opening photo) at Sartoria Panatieri and Brabo, Juan D’Onofrio and Gabriel Sodré from Chispa Bistró…
The list could continue to expand ad eternalum and even more so if we even included the relationships that are involved. However, we will remain inside the kitchen with new chefs who share the stage.
Examples, between 20 and 35 or 40 years old, we see with great more frequently than had been seen in a previous generation where, perhaps, only the example of the brothers has transcended Sergio and Javier Torres, with the obvious nuance of their kinship. Also with the brothers Pérez, Pedro Mario and Óscar Manuel, at the Benaventano restaurant El Ermitaño.
The kitchen millennial twice
Why is the gastronomic paradigm changing and the kitchen is now built in duplicate? Some of those interviewed explain that it is due to a change in the kitchen mentality or, as Bosch and Domínguez explain “because two think better than one.”
They are right, but there are more reasons to verify that this new batch of chefs He is less afraid of sharing a poster and, of course, economic reasons also exist.
Lydia del Olmo and Xosé Magalhães, from the Michelin star Ceibe, explain it. “Not only do you share more ideas and be more creative when putting it together, You also manage to carry out projects that perhaps you couldn’t do on your own.“, they consider.
“Currently getting into a restaurant investment or a single business is very complicated and not everyone can afford it,” they explained almost in chorus.
A reality that Carmen Peláez and Javo Gassibe also defend in Zafra, her town, where they moved, or Olga García and Álex Paz, from Fuentelgato, in Huerta del Marquesado (Cuenca), taking advantage of different causes.
“We came here also because We wanted to make a change and here we could try it. Not in Madrid,” says Gassibe. Dynamics similar to those explained almost in duet by García and Paz. “My parents [habla ella] They had this restaurant and although we had looked at things in Valencia, if you think about the cost of living, what you want to do, you see that they don’t give you the numbers,” he confessed.
The same reality that Javi Sanz, one of the ‘halves’ of Cañitas Maite, conveys. “Being two, you can not only allow yourself to be more creative or have ideas that the other brings to you. It also allows you to duplicate efforts“, he confessed.
A reality that for this group from Albacete, already distributed in its native Casas Ibáñez – with two businesses – plus another in Madrid and another in Ibiza, is fundamental. “Be two allows us to be in more than one place at a time and continue controlling what we offer to the public,” added Juan Sahuquillo.
Crushing logic in the face of an obvious message: The modern chef cannot live tied to his kitchen. We often see it with the impact they generate in contests, conferences, presentations or on television programs.
The shackle that unites the chef and the fire, something classic in traditional cuisine, also means reduce visibility and lose a source of income external which, when there are two sides to the project, is much easier to let go.
Images | DAP
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