José Pizzarro, with his numerous namesake restaurants, books, and television appearances, is “the godfather of Spanish cuisine in the United Kingdom.” A story of success and a Spanish cuisine that tastes like home even in London.
Born in 1972, José Pizzarro hails from a beautiful rural village near Cáceres, Extremadura. He began his career in various restaurants around Spain before moving to London to work at "Eyre Brothers" in Shoreditch, eventually becoming the Executive Chef at "Brindisa."
In 2011, he opened his first restaurant, “Josè,” on Bermondsey Street, offering authentic and simple tapas. Since then, he has opened several “José Pizarro” establishments around London, where he is now known as “The godfather of Spanish cuisine”: at the Royal Academy, in Broadgate, and at "The Swan Inn," where he also launched another restaurant, “Pizarro.” In 2023, his empire expanded beyond British borders, reaching Abu Dhabi, in the luxurious “Conrad Hilton,” with the restaurant “José by Pizzarro.” Faithful to his philosophy, José values fresh and seasonal ingredients, praising the simplicity of his culinary creations.
Throughout his career, Pizzarro, thanks to his passion and charisma, has taken part in the UK television scene, participating in programs such as BBC 1's Saturday Kitchen, This Morning, Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, Weekend Kitchen with Waitrose, Rick Stein’s Christmas, Food Network’s The Big Eat, and the popular ITV program - James Martin's Saturday Morning. But that's not all. José has also published several books paying tribute to regional Spanish cuisine, acclaimed by both the public and critics: "Seasonal Spanish Food" (2009), "Spanish Flavours" (2012), "Basque" (2016), "Catalonia" (2017), and "Andalusia" (2019, reprinted in 2023). The latest, "The Spanish Home Kitchen," released in 2022, reveals over 80 recipes directly from the chef’s family home. On the topic of home cooking in his restaurants, the chef says, "My restaurants are like my home. That’s why I have open kitchens, so my customers feel like guests in my home."
