Oriol Castro has worked with the best and spent a long time at ElBulli. His knowledge, experience, and talent are now being utilized in the restaurants Compartir in Cadaqués and the Three MICHELIN-Starred Disfrutar in Barcelona, the third best restaurant in the world in 2022.
Oriol Castro, born in Barcelona in 1974, began his culinary training at the Escuela de Pastelería del Gremio in Barcelona, distinguishing himself by winning the first prize in the Spanish pastry contest in 1995. His career led him to work in renowned restaurants such as “Martin Berasategui”, “Dorado Petit”, “Jean Luc Figueras”, and “Villa Beneto”, where he gained extensive experience and honed his culinary skills. These experiences, combined with his specialization in pastry, significantly influenced his creativity and originality in the kitchen, but it was at “El Bulli” that Castro made a qualitative leap.
He innovated gastronomic techniques, revolutionizing the industry with his avant-garde ideas. His propensity for culinary experimentation is evident in his ability to play with flavors and in the creation of unique tastings. In 2008, he contributed to the “Bullitaller”, a culinary creativity laboratory linked to “El Bulli”, where Oriol collaborated closely with Ferran Adrià and Albert Adrià, bringing his innovative vision to the forefront.
After the closure of “El Bulli”, Castro opened the restaurant “Compartir a Cadaqués” with Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas. This collaboration also led to the opening of “Disfrutar” in Barcelona in 2015. The restaurant stands out for its avant-garde culinary proposal and a tasting menu that reflects a strong Mediterranean identity, with innovative and creative dishes. In its first year, “Disfrutar” received a MICHELIN Star, Two Suns in the Repsol Guide, and was named restaurant of the year by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy and Nutrition, as well as being voted the best restaurant in Barcelona in 2016, 2017, and 2019 by the Macarfi Guide.
“Disfrutar” quickly established itself as one of the leading restaurants worldwide, boasting Three MICHELIN Stars and earning the title of the third best restaurant in the world in 2022.
Oriol Castro, along with his colleagues Xatruch and Casañas, also offers online courses in creative cooking, sharing his knowledge and passion for culinary art.
