The Barcelona venue, ABac, owned by the famous chef and ‘MasterChef’ judge, has three Michelin stars.
Spanish chef Jordi Cruz is one of the country’s top profile chefs and runs the three-time Michelin star restaurant ABac in Barcelona.
Widely regarded as without a doubt, one of the most prominent chefs in the country, he participates as a judge in the culinary talent show ‘MasterChef’, broadcast on TVE’s 1.
This spot in the public eye has helped him to win the affection of the public and to rise to fame along with his colleagues, Pepe Rodríguez and Samantha Vallejo-Nágera.
The chef currently combines his television appearances with his restaurants and cookery books, and is also the author of six gastronomic books. His restaurants include ABaC, where he has been head chef since 2010, Ten’s Tapas Restaurant in Barcelona’s Born district, which offers tapas and dishes that follow the philosophy of ABaC Restaurant, Angle and Atempo, all in Barcelona.
Originally from Manresa and is the youngest of six siblings, Jordi started working in the hotel and catering business at a very young age. He started in the dining room of a restaurant but aspired to work in the kitchen.
At the age of 16, he was already working at the oven and by the age of 18, he was head chef. He won a Michelin star for the restaurant Estany Clar, in Berga, and another for the restaurant L’Angle, in the hotel Món Sant Benet. In 2010 he joined Àbac, which he has taken to three-star status, a title that only 11 Spanish restaurants in the whole country can boast.
ABac – Three Time Michelin Star Restaurant
Since Jordi Cruz joined the ABaC kitchens in May 2010, the establishment has won numerous awards and in 2011 and has been named Best Restaurant in Catalonia by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy.
In 2012, at the mere age of 26, Cruz and his team earned wo stars for the restaurant from the prestigious Michelin Guide, and in 2017 he was awarded a third. With these three stars, ABaC became the second restaurant in the city of Barcelona to hold such a prestigious award, after Lazarte.
He has also earned another two Michelin stars with his restaurant Angle and one more with Atempo. In other words, the chef has a total of 6 Michelin Stars to his credit.
The Catalan chef is currently the youngest chef in Spain and the second youngest in the world to be awarded a Michelin Star.
ABac, on Avenida Tibidabo
Masterchef
Jordi Cruz defines himself as very hard-working and demanding, who tends to simplify things and to trust his team, whether it’s the MasterChef programme or the Àbac kitchen,
But there is something of a good product behind his meteoric career as a chef: he got his first Michelin star at the age of 24, at the age of 42 he runs the three-star Àbac, and is the most loved and hated judge on TVE’s successful cooking competition.
With a reputation for being rude and demanding of the contestants, he’s known for his direct and rather “cut-throat” responses, a characteristic you could say has gotten him to where he is now.
Thousands of contestants apply to Masterchef every year. They are aware that, if they are among the lucky ones who get to cook in the kitchens of the programme, they may have a promising future in the profession.
Jordi was already an eminent chef when he landed the TVE programme, but for him, it’s also been a springboard towards the media world. Before joining the competition panel of judges, Cruz had one of the most meteoric careers on the Spanish culinary scene.
At 37, he is still working hard to ensure that his restaurant ABaC in Barcelona achieves gastronomic excellence. He devotes his days to it, and for this reason, he confesses that he hadn’t been able to watch a single programme of the fourth season of Masterchef, as he states that he dedicates every hour of the day to cooking, perfecting his craft, and maintaining the restaurant’s high standards.
Reservations at ABac
To score a table at this famed restaurant, it’s necessary to indicate the number of diners, the date and time of service, provide contact details and accept the allergy notifications, terms and conditions, frequently asked questions and legal notice. In addition, a deposit of 100 euros per diner is required, which will be deducted from the bill on the day of the visit.