The Galician Pepe Vieira, the Canarian El Rincón de Juan Carlos and the Quique Dacosta project at the Ritz obtain the second star in a gala that distributes up to 29 first stars
At last. After two years without news in the premier category of the Michelin guide for Spain and Portugal, the 2023 edition brings not one, but two more restaurants with three stars. These are Cocina Hermanos Torres, whose triumph had been rumored for weeks among the profession, and Atrio, who seemed the eternal candidate and this Tuesday has finally achieved a consideration that many have deserved for years. The red guide, presented this Tuesday in Toledo, also brings three novelties in the two-star chapter -Deessa, Pepe Vieira and El Rincón de Juan Carlos- and up to 29 new ‘macarons’, in addition to 14 green stars and awards for young chefs , the mentor chef and the room service.
For Toño Pérez and José Polo, the third star marks the culmination of almost four decades of work in which they have made Cáceres a first-rate gastronomic destination. The reward also comes after a difficult year, in which they suffered a million-dollar robbery in their extremely valuable winery, from where they took, among other jewels, a Chateau d’Yquem from 1806 valued at 350,000 euros. Located since 2011 in a mansion in the historic center of the city renovated by the architects Emilio Tuñón -National Architecture Award 2022- and the late Luis Mansilla and about to open a luxury complex in Casa Paredes, Atrio adds to its elegant and delicate gastronomic proposal one of the most beautiful accommodations in Spain.
The Torres brothers for television also experienced a decisive move in 2018, to locate themselves in an old industrial warehouse in the Barcelona neighborhood of Les Corts whose transformation Carlos Ferrater signed. In this diaphanous, almost theatrical space, with the kitchens integrated into the center of the dining room, Sergio and Javier Torres display a menu based on seasonal products and modern technique that, in Michelin’s opinion, “exceeds diners’ expectations to become a great show.” With these two new additions, there are now 13 restaurants with three stars in our country.
different novelties
In the two-star category, which distinguishes restaurants that deserve the detour, three very different novelties. Deessa, the luxury restaurant that Quique Dacosta runs at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz hotel in Madrid, with Guillermo Chávez as head chef. The Galician Pepe Vieira, captained by Xosé T. Cannas and located next to Raxó (Pontevedra), in the middle of the field that supplies his pantry. And El Rincón de Juan Carlos, from Tenerife, where the brothers Juan Carlos and Jonathan Padrón review the Canarian recipe book in a creative key.
But the great explosion of joy at night has been carried out by those projects that after a lot of effort get a first star that puts them on the map. Up to 29, two more than last year, she has distributed Michelin throughout the country, watering Spanish gastronomy with illusion. Barcelona is the city with the most harvest, with 5 new stars: one sung for Enigma, by Albert Adrià, as well as Aleia, Mont Bar, Slow&Low and COME by Paco Méndez. Madrid capital adds another three, all for projects with oriental reminiscences -RavioXO, by Dabiz Muñoz, Ugo Chan and Zuara Sushi-, and adds another in San Lorenzo del Escorial for Montia.
The host community, Castilla La Mancha, also leaves with full saddlebags after obtaining three luminaries, one in Ababol (Albacete), another in Ancestral (Illescas) and another in Oba (Casas Ibañez), the gastronomic project of Javier Sanz and Juan Sahuquillo , revelation chefs at Madrid Fusión 2021. They are received by Andalusia, in Código de Barra (Cádiz), La Finca (Loja) and Kaleja (Málaga). Galicia and the Canary Islands, which obtained two of the second, also add two first in O’Pazo and Ceibe, and Tabaiba and San-Hô, respectively. Two also for Castilla y León, to Cobo Evolución from Burgos and Alquimia Laboratorio from Valladolid; for the Balearic Islands, to Etxeko Ibiza and Fusión 19, in Mallorca; and for Asturias, to Monte (San Feliz) and Ferpel (Ortiguera).
The rest are shared between Arrea! from Alava, Ajonegro from Logroño -one of the very few examples with a female chef at the helm-, AlmaMater from Murcia or Gente Rara from Zaragoza. On the other side of the coin, Mirador de Ulía from San Sebastian, Kabuki from Madrid or Trivio from Cuenca lose their distinction, which has veered towards a more informal concept after transferring its haute cuisine proposal to the Casas Colgadas.
In addition, the guide continues to bet on distinguishing sustainable restaurants with a green star, up to 13 in this edition and premieres three personal awards. One to the young chef that Cristóbal Muñoz, from Ambivium, receives, another to the mentor chef, who falls to Joan Roca and another one that distinguishes the service in the room, which goes to the head waiter, sommelier and cheese specialist Toni Gerez, from Catalan restaurant Castell de Peralada. For next year, more news, because for the first time Spain and Portugal will have separate galas.
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