Passionate about food from an early age, Jordi Cruz is a Spanish chef whose innovative and daring cuisine has earned him numerous awards and recognition. The harmonious fusion of creativity and tradition is reflected in his three gastronomic ventures in Catalonia and is well described in books published by Jordi.
Jordi Cruz was born in Manresa in 1978 and studied culinary arts at the "Joviat" Superior School of Hospitality in the same city. At the age of 14, he began working at the "Estany Clar" restaurant in Cercs, where he received his first Michelin star in 2002 at only 24 years old, becoming the youngest chef in Spain and the second in the world to receive this recognition.
Jordi's career has been filled with awards from the beginning. In 2002, he won the Spanish Championship for Young Chefs in San Sebastian, and a year later, he received the International Olive Oil Cuisine Award from Jaén, Paraíso Interior, as part of the Best of Gastronomy event in San Sebastian. He also won the award for the Spanish Championship for Young Talents in Ciudad de Marbella.
In 2006, he was proclaimed champion of the first edition of the Chef of the Year Competition (CCA), an event of which he is currently the vice president of the jury, led by chef Martin Berasategui.
In December 2007, Cruz left "Estany Clar" and became the director and head chef of the "Angle Barcelona" restaurant at the "Món Sant Benet" hotel in Barcelona. One year after his arrival, the restaurant received its first MICHELIN Star. In June 2013, the establishment was relocated to the "Hotel Cram," also in Barcelona, and in 2019, it obtained Two MICHELIN Stars.
In May 2010, Jordi became part of the management team of "ABaC Restaurant & Hotel," a hidden gastronomic gem in one of the most exclusive locations in the city, near the Jardins de la Tamarita. The following year, the restaurant was awarded "Best Restaurant in Catalonia" by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy, and in 2012, it received its second MICHELIN Star. In the following year it was awarded 3 Repsol Suns, and in 2017, the third MICHELIN Star was bestowed upon "ABaC," placing it at the highest level in the Guide.
In June 2012, he opened the "Ten's Tapas Restaurant" in the Born district of Barcelona, offering tapas and dishes that follow the same philosophy as "ABaC."
In 2013, Jordi was awarded "Chef de l'Avenir" by the International Academy of Gastronomy.
Despite the demands of the chef's life, Jordi opened another establishment in 2019, a cosmopolitan bistro-style restaurant. "Atempo" offers classic international cuisine in a dining room where guests can admire the kitchen brigade in action.
Cruz is involved in numerous projects. He is also a judge on the TVE program "MasterChef" and the author of 6 gastronomy books: "Cocina con lógica" (Cooking with Logic), "Grandes platos para todos los días" (Great Dishes for Every Day), "El cocinero tenaz" (The Tenacious Cook), "Cocina en casa como un chef" (Cooking at Home like a Chef), "Tapas con Rock n'Roll" (Tapas with Rock n'Roll), and "ABaC Cocina en evolución" (ABaC Evolving Cuisine).
Regarding his cuisine, the chef himself describes it as "evolving and restless, based on the product and where there is room for both creativity and tradition." His concept of avant-garde cuisine goes beyond trends and fads.
Cover photo: @Jara Bravo
