Chefs in Spain

My name is Jordi Cruz Mas. I’m the chef of three restaurants in Barcelona: ABaC Restaurant, Angle Barcelona and Ten’s Tapas Restaurant. I am co-founder and creator of Angle 10′s. I was born north of bustling Barcelona, in a quiet and very small Catalan town of Manresa. Away from the coast and beaches, where women don’t always cover themselves with clothing.

My name is Jordi Joan. I work in the restaurant Ca l’Isidre since 1988, so during 26 years — and this, as I just realized most part of my life. I was born in Barcelona, sunny city with fabulous gastronomic possibilities. I didn’t have those thoughts that most people around: to become a bank employee or a director of the company, or for example, a museum worker? Catering business – it’s our family business. What important is business, really loved by the whole family.

I was born and outgrow in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. This is the best city on earth. I have traveled and worked in different cities, and returned here, in this city. When I was 13 years old, in 1988, my parents moved to Begues, a small village in the mountains, 40 km from Barcelona. Since that time I began my fascination kitchen. I kept telling my parents that will be one of the best Chefs. And this goal I have carried through the years. After training in culinary school, I moved to Switzerland to work in «Beau Rivage palace», in order to understand how to construct the kitchen and I was in that place where I really started to learn something. As they say, you get experience in the work, but not in teaching.

Since childhood, I was fond of kitchen and food. My father worked as a chef for a long time, and therefore he always told me not to work in this profession, but I never listened to my parents. I remember how I disturbed my father in the kitchen. He showed how to cook, but he didn’t explain anything. It’s one thing to be a good cook, and quite another – to be a teacher. It is the opposite situation with my mother, she can cook only very simple dishes by grandmother’s recipes, but she is good in teaching. My father didn’t give me an opportunity to practice, and my mother was cooking with me patiently. I remember that they praised my juicy and perfect omelet, I cooked it as my father, but I received from him only a ready dish without the recipe of its correct preparation. Sometimes, in the absence of the father, they allowed me to prepare omelets, and I was very happy. I still believe that if you want to understand how delicious are the hands zof the chef you should to taste his omelet.