Number of Michelin 3-star restaurants goes up to four in Catalonia

For years, Catalonia has been acclaimed when it comes to food. It hosts 55 Michelin-star restaurants, serving everything from typical Catalan dishes, to new creations in the field of molecular gastronomy, to everything in between. This week, at the Michelin Guide 2018 gala celebrated in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, an array of Catalan chefs and six exceptional restaurants were awarded the exclusive star recognition. This puts the number of restaurants with three Michelin stars – the highest possible amount – up to four.

One new 3-star name and two new 2-stars

The newest addition to the prestigious list is ÀBaC, led by up-and-coming chef Jordi Cruz. Indeed, ÀBaC wasn’t the only Catalan restaurant to make the cut into the gourmet food guide, joining the exclusive lists of three-star restaurants, which achieved the feat of retaining the esteemed distinction. The three restaurants that kept their tri-star award are Carme Ruscalleda’s Sant Pau, Paolo Casagrande’s Lasarte, and El Celler de Can Roca, run by the three Roca brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi.

Dos Cielos, run by brothers Sergio and Javier Torres, as well as Disfrutar, headed by the former executive chefs of the famed elBulli restaurant, Eduard Xatruch, Oriol Castro and Mateu Casañas, both earned two stars.

Three times 1-star

Ferran Adrià’s elBulli restaurant - where Xatruch, Castro and Casañas cut their teeth - made headlines in the world of haute cuisine, time and time again. It closed in 2011, but not before it was judged as foremost in the world by Restaurant Magazine - a record five times. Keeping it the family, the new locale of iconic molecular gastronomy chef Albert Adrià, Enigma, was awarded one star from the renowned guide, as was the Peralada Castle restaurant.

Romain Fornell’s restaurant Caelis proved itself yet again in its new venue, as Michelin requires earning the recognition from scratch in case of relocation. Indeed, Fornell is the only French chef to obtain a Michelin star for both his restaurant in France and that in Catalonia.

Only one star was lost, that of vegetarian restaurant Céleri, due to it temporarily closing. Its chef, Xavier Pellicer, made a name for himself in the kitchen of ABaC, and received his first Michelin star the very same year that Céleri opened. Soon, the locale plans to open again in a new, bigger space.