Five tapas reinvented by great Spanish chefs
The most cutting-edge and creative cuisine is encouraged by a larder of the highest quality products. Spain is home to some renowned chefs who, in their constant striving for the most inspiring flavours, often draw on the popularity of traditional recipes to create stunning creations.Would you like to try some famous tapas reinvented by masters of haute cuisine? Here are some tips on how you can enjoy a real odyssey of flavours.
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Ham of the sea by Angel Leon
If there is one thing that characterises the famous Andalusian chef Ángel León, in addition to his Michelin stars, it is his ability to reinterpret products from the most traditional cuisine. All his work is governed by one maxim: a commitment to sustainable fishing and research into everything that comes from the marine ecosystem. In his tavern in El Puerto de Santa María, you can immerse yourself in a world of tapas from the man known as the 'chef of the sea'. Can you imagine a platter of cured meats from the sea? Well, wait until you try the ham of the sea, made with wild tuna from the coast of Barbate, Cadiz. An alternative to one of Spain's most iconic tapas - Iberian ham - prepared using a similar curing and drying process to achieve a stunning appearance and texture.
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Tortilla by Dabiz Muñoz
Fusion and daring cuisine are constants in Dabiz Muñoz's menus. This chef from Madrid has been named the best chef in the world three times. His incessant experimentation with Mediterranean and Asian ingredients and flavours allows him to achieve unprecedented results. His restaurant RavioXo in Madrid aims to “pursue the avant-garde by decontextualizing concepts and starting from the essence”. A good example is his risky reinterpretation of the tortilla. This consists of an Asian-style dumpling stuffed with confit Galician potatoes, rice wine, the yolk from a quail's egg and roast peppers on brioche. Would you like to compare this version with the internationally famous Spanish omelette?His reinvention of traditional tapas doesn't end here, as his laid-back Madrid eatery StreetXo offers other attractive possibilities. These include a 'roasted scallop', with toasted butter, horseradish yogurt, jalapeño gazpacho and lime, and his 'Pedroche croquettes', a tribute to his partner, made with kimchi, sheep's milk, tuna sashimi and tea.
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Carrot Gilda, by the Arzaks
The tandem formed by Juan Mari and Elena Arzak, father and daughter, represents, like few others, the appreciation of traditional flavours. But can you be a flagship for the new Basque cuisine and still represent the four generations of the Arzak+Arzak restaurant in Donostia-San Sebastián at the same time? Yes, because Arzak cuisine defines itself as “attached to its roots and with a creative spirit in constant evolution.”It is therefore not surprising that one of the favourite tapas of both chefs is the gilda, as it combines a very special variety of flavours: anchovies from the Cantabrian sea, “guindilla” peppers and olives. This classic Basque pintxo has earned a place among the tapas - or 'bocados', as they like to call them at Arzak - that feature on their tasting menu. This is the 'carrot gilda' with spicy red sauce. A new concept that still includes “guindilla” peppers and anchovies.
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Oyster salad by Begoña Rodrigo
If you travel to Valencia , the innovative proposal of the chef who won one of the first culinary competitions broadcast on television in Spain awaits you. Begoña Rodrigo runs, among other establishments, La Salita, a cosy Michelin-starred restaurant located in a historic building that adds charm to the brilliant mix of textures and flavors of its cuisine.Voted best female vegetarian chef in Europe in 2023, her dedication to garden produce is reflected in her original vegetarian tasting menu. Highlights include seaweed rice, pumpkin sobrasada and mushroom pâté. As for reinterpretation of traditional tapas, we recommend you try her renowned 'oyster salad' to see how traditional flavours can be taken to another level.
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Calçots with romesco, by Martina Puigvert
Calçots are a type of large spring onion. This traditional Catalan delicacy is often cooked on a barbeque during the early months of the year, providing an excuse for people to get together to celebrate them. Martina Puigvert, chosen as the best young chef in the Michelin Guide 2024, has managed to concentrate this traditional dish into an exquisite bite. His innovation on the traditional recipe is a delicate shortcrust pastry and a cheese sauce.Working with his wife, the renowned chef Fina Puigdevall, and her sisters, Carlota and Clara, at the Les Cols restaurant in the Girona, Puigvert is committed to creative cuisine based on products with zero food miles. They source their products from their own organic garden, their farm and the La Garrotxa region. Their commitment to sustainability and sustainable agriculture has won them a Michelin green star.
These are just a few suggestions. Spanish gastronomy is constantly reinventing itself, so the best way to discover new flavours is to come and try it!
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