Señora Favorite
José Andrés
Asturias / Washington D.C.
Spanish-American chef, humanitarian, and the greatest ambassador Spanish cuisine has ever had — from tapas to molecular gastronomy to feeding disaster victims.
Known for: Minibar, Jaleo, and World Central Kitchen
Vegetables Unleashed
Albert Adrià
Barcelona, Spain
The culinary genius behind elBulli’s pastry kitchen and a string of Barcelona restaurants that redefined what creative Catalan cooking can be.
Known for: Tickets and Enigma restaurants, and his elBulli years with Ferran
Natura
Claudia Roden
Egypt / London
Food anthropologist and author of The Food of Spain — the definitive survey of a cuisine too long misunderstood as merely paella and sangría.
Known for: The Food of Spain and A Book of Middle Eastern Food
The Food of Spain
Elena Arzak
San Sebastián, Spain
Fourth-generation chef of the legendary Arzak restaurant, Elena leads one of the world’s finest Basque tables alongside her father Juan Mari — avant-garde and deeply rooted.
Known for: Arzak restaurant and decades of three Michelin stars
María José San Román
Alicante, Spain
Michelin-starred chef behind Monastrell in Alicante, María José has dedicated her career to rehabilitating Valencian olive oil and Alicante rice dishes as the finest in Spain.
Known for: Arròs amb fesols i naps and Spain’s finest arroz a banda
Nieves Barragán Mohacho
Bilbao / London
Michelin-starred Basque chef and one of London’s most revered cooks, Nieves brings the deep flavors of the Basque coast to her restaurant Sabor with quiet brilliance.
Known for: Sabor restaurant and Basque pintxos culture in London
Omar Allibhoy
Madrid / London
Chef and Tapas Revolution founder whose mission is to bring proper Spanish food culture — patatas bravas, tortilla, pan con tomate — to every home in Britain and beyond.
Known for: Tapas Revolution book and restaurants across the UK
Tapas Revolution
Teresa Barrenechea
Bilbao / New York
Chef and author of The Basque Table who brought the pintxos culture of San Sebastián to New York with warmth, fidelity, and delicious clarity.
Known for: The Basque Table cookbook and bringing Basque food to America
The Basque Table