Nephew and son of the trade, Alejandro Serrano didn't see the restaurant industry as a predetermined destiny but chose it for the potential of happiness, channeling his artistic vein. And "human sustainability" is at the core of his offering.
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Alejandro Serrano is known as Spain's youngest Michelin-starred chef: in 2021, at just 25, he earned his Macaron. He was basically born and bred in the industry: he learned to clean fish in the 'Casa de Comidas' where his grandmother, originally from Granada, opened in Miranda de Ebro. He continued his apprenticeship in his father's restaurant, also named "Alejandro." "Since I was little, my life revolved around the kitchen; my family is 100% hospitality. I grew up with the poetry and tension that every business entails. I was born for this," he says.
Today, he presents a personal and democratic offering, free from pretentiousness, where fish takes the lead, even though the sea is distant (his accolades include awards for the best dish with red prawn from Denia and the Balfegò tuna contest). Financial sustainability, as he tells Vanitatis El Confidencial, is increasingly hard to achieve due to inflation, causing costs to soar. However, in terms of human quality, the scenario changes, as the quality of life for those in fine dining has significantly improved compared to the past. Profits are better sought in more informal formats, like the new establishment he'll open next year. The Alejandro Serrano restaurant will remain the showcase, drawing people in through everyday moments, including a vegan menu aimed at the younger crowd.
But Alejandro doesn’t just excel in the kitchen: he's always loved painting, a hobby he had put aside for studies and later picked up during the pandemic, increasingly personalizing the restaurant's cuisine, which he took over in 2019. The result: dishes with refined aesthetics where color takes the spotlight, especially green and pink, which he personally favors. The taste is rich, but he searches for something more: the narrative, the memory, authentic moments of happiness.
Apart from his grandmother and father, his reference points include Eneko Atxa, for the ability to convey emotions through the product, and Dabiz Muñoz, for his playful spirit and constant subversion. "But I am increasingly myself and less focused on what's around me," he assures. His grandmother visits often, while his father rarely does. "Because every time, he gets emotional and starts crying."
