Josep Roca, the celebrated maître d' of the restaurant "El Celler de Can Roca," along with his brothers Jordi and Joan, continues to promote gastronomic excellence. A successful family team, including the "World's Best Sommelier" of 2022, has earned Three MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star for sustainability.
Josep Roca was born in Girona in 1966. After completing his studies at the Girona School of Hospitality, he honed his skills by working alongside famous winemakers and oenologists, including Josep Lluis Perez Verdu of "Mas Martinet."
Since 1986, Josep began collaborating with his brothers: Jordi, the eldest, the chef, and Joan, the youngest, the pastry chef, at "El Celler de Can Roca" in their hometown, which moved to its current location in 2007. Their passion for gastronomy was cultivated from a young age, participating in the daily activities of the family restaurant. The professional synergy between the brothers developed without hesitation.
"El Celler de Can Roca" has received extremely positive reviews and has been awarded Three MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star for sustainability, in addition to being named the "Best Restaurant in the World" by Restaurant magazine in 2013 and 2015.
The restaurant's cuisine is inspired by Catalan tradition but also features a creative flair. The restaurant boasts a cellar with approximately 60,000 bottles of wine, with a selection spanning five main directions: Riesling, Champagne, Burgundy, Sherry, and Priorat. However, for Josep, the beverage that best represents "El Celler" is Cava, a humble wine produced with local grapes and matured under the Mediterranean sun.
Joan describes himself as a "wine waiter" and contributes to the creation of advanced experiments thanks to his formidable sense of smell. Josep's extraordinary dedication to selecting wines to accompany the dishes led to his recognition as the "World's Best Sommelier" in 2022.
The Roca brothers never rest on their laurels and constantly strive to improve the balance between work and private life. They dedicate themselves to traveling in search of new ingredients and work on separate projects, never losing sight of their main goal. Now, Joan's son, Marc, and Josep's son, Martí, have chosen culinary careers. They will be the future of the various businesses opened over the years by the Roca brothers, including "El Normal," "Can Roca," "Placa del VI 7," and the hotel "Casa Cacao" in Girona. Furthermore, they have initiated confectionery and spirits productions for online trade under the brands "Rambolesc," "Casa Cacao," and "Espirit Roca."
Since 2012, the Roca brothers have had a creative experimentation laboratory called "La Masia." Between 2014 and 2015, this laboratory hosted the creative and logistical development of the first two worldwide tours of "El Celler de Can Roca" in collaboration with BBVA.
Since 2016, all three brothers have been Goodwill Ambassadors for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and use their platform to promote environmentally sustainable, socially equitable, and economically inclusive agri-food systems.
In 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, El Celler de Can Roca, in collaboration with BBVA bank, launched the "Sustainable Gastronomy" project, aiming to support small producers and promote homemade and healthy cooking with local and seasonal products through a monthly recipe and ingredient package curated by the Roca brothers.
The Roca brothers' attention to biodiversity and natural resources conservation has led them to undertake another project, a documentary titled "Sembrando el Futuro" (Sowing the Future). In the documentary, they embark on a journey in search of lost flavors and foods while promoting the consumption of local products that promote health and preserve cultural memory and traditions.
Cover Photo: @Ignacio Gil
