Enjoy enters the realm of the three Michelin stars

Martin Berasategui seemed to announce it on the red carpet of the Michelin Guide Spain 2024 Gala. "Today I ate at Disfrutar and it was the best meal of my life, by far." The chef, who has more than ten Michelin stars distributed among his restaurants on the peninsula, looked with admiration at Eduard Xatruch, who at that very moment merely replied timidly: "If a star falls, it will be welcome." And these three stars have been welcome, placing the team led by Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch, and Mateu Casañas in one of the highest positions in Barcelona's gastronomy. As Berasategui continued to explain before the gala began: "What would become of us if Michelin hadn't existed? It has changed our lives." Disfrutar, a new three-star Michelin in the city To the question "What is special about this restaurant?", the new edition of the red guide answers: "Playing with shapes, textures and flavors, it demonstrates unequivocal mastery; furthermore, its laboratory never stops creating novelties, such as solid bubbles or a living table capable of playing with the diner." And it is that surprise and innovation have always been in the DNA of a place that, year after year, has not stopped surprising. Visibly emotional, the trio of chefs wanted to thank their entire team and especially their families. "They have supported us since the first day we wanted to be chefs and that's why we are here," Xatruch pointed out before taking the traditional photo with all the Michelin three-star awardees, where, as a novelty, Paco Morales was also present representing the Noor restaurant in Cordoba. Two new additions coming from Sants The Sants neighborhood hosts the city's two new Michelin-starred restaurants. The first isSuto, led byYoshikazu Sutoin the vicinity of the train station, of which the guide highlights that "it looks like a private house where they cook for you, offering an omakase menu that combines hot and cold dishes." The red bible, in this sense, highlights the series of nigiris and also the kakigori, of which they have a traditional machine. The second restaurant awarded a Michelin star isQuirat, located in the InterContinental Barcelona hotel. Here,Víctor Torres, who was for a time the youngest chef to win a star for Les Magnòlies, in Arbúcies, proposes a current Catalan cuisine that, "always exalting local products, respects seasonality to the maximum". The apparent simplicity of his dishes, which are full of flavor thanks to well-concentrated sauces, has also been a criterion for the award. Three special prizes that fall in Catalonia The two most innovative awards in the guide have gone to Catalonia. The Special Sommelier award, new this year, was presented by Quim Vila, founder of Vila Viniteca, who highlighted the importance of "knowing how to understand each wine in its singularity." The award winner was Josep 'Pitu' Roca, from El Celler de Can Roca, who dedicated it to Dani Redondo Cuevas, head chef of the Girona restaurant who recently passed away. "The star lives for you," he said, raising the award. For the second consecutive year, the Special Room Service Award has also been presented. In 2024, it recognizes the impeccable career of Juan Carlos Ibáñez, head waiter and sommelier of the Lasarte restaurant. With more than twenty years of experience, Ibáñez has a unique vision when it comes to interpreting the needs of each visitor. "Diners provide us with the necessary support to achieve excellence," he explained upon receiving the award, with which he wanted to pay tribute to Santi Santamaría and Martín Berasategui, to whom he dedicated a final "garrote." Martina Puigvert Puigdevall, for her part, has been awarded the Best Young Chef Award. The head chef of Les Cols, in Olot, dedicated the award to the restaurant team and also to her family, especially to parents who have shown her a "pure love for a profession that is capable of creating projects full of sensitivity and soul." Puigvert also highlighted the work of waiters, cooks, farmers, and professionals linked to the sector. Other special awards It is also worth noting the winner of the Special Chef Mentor Award, which went to Juan Mari Arzak. In an emotional video, numerous industry leaders, including Andoni Luis Aduriz, Dani García, Dabiz Muñoz, and Ferran Adrià, highlighted the importance of his legacy, agreeing that none of them would cook the way they do without Arzak. His daughter Elena collected the award, stating: "my father wants to tell you a few things, among them, that you should not relax at work, that you have to keep striving for excellence, and that, please, do not lose the enthusiasm of seeing life through a child's eyes."

The total count for Barcelona: 26 restaurants with a star

Although the predictions prior to the gala seemed to indicate that Barcelona would receive more recognitions for 2024 (including second stars for Enigma and Aleia and first for Estimar and Xavier Pellicer), finally only three new restaurants have been incorporated and, in addition, Jordi Cruz's Angle has gone from having two stars to having only one. In comparison, in Madrid, a total of six new establishments have been added to the list.

With the new count, in the Catalan capital we find a total of 26 restaurants on the coveted list. With the highest distinction there are four: ABaC, Cocina Hermanos Torres, Disfrutar and Lasarte. In the two-star category there are three: Cinc Sentits, Enoteca Paco Pérez and Moments. Finally, awarded with one star, there are a total of 19 restaurants, which include Aleia, Alkimia, Angle, Atempo, Aürt, Caelis, COME by Paco Méndez, Dos Palillos, Enigma, Hisop, Hofmann, Koy Shunka, Mont Bar, Oria, Quirat, Slow & Low, Suto, Via Veneto and Xerta. Apart from the stars, there is also the Bib Gourmand category, which recognizes menus of very good quality/price, where we find establishments such as Baló, Berbena, Nairod, Avenir, Saó, Vivanda, Cruix and La Mundana.