About us - Amar Barcelona

3 chefs pescados5

One of the keys to Amar Barcelona is its team.

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OUR TEAM

One of Rafa Zafra’s keys to success is having his travelling companions, his partners Anna Gotanegra and Ricardo Acquista, who work alongside the El Palace Barcelona team on both the management and creative aspects of the project.

Both chef Gonzalo Hernández and sous chef Víctor García are people whom Zafra trusts completely, having worked with him for over 10 years on various projects such as Estimar, Tickets, Heart, Els Brans and Cala Jondal.

Juanma Holgado is in charge of the dining room and acts as head sommelier, maintaining an extensive and varied wine list from around the world.

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OUR TEAM

Juanma Holgado is in charge of the dining room and acts as head sommelier, maintaining an extensive and varied wine list from around the world.

RAFA ZAFRA

RAFA
ZAFRA

The soul

Trained at the hospitality school in Seville, as well as in the kitchens of renowned restaurants such as Tristán in Mallorca and Arzak in San Sebastián, Rafa Zafra joined the kitchen team at Hacienda Benazuza and elBullihotel. In 2015, he joined the Adrià brothers and Guy Laliberté's project, Heart Ibiza, as executive chef, earning a Repsol sun in just a few months and collaborating with elBulliLab. In 2016, Rafa Zafra embarked on his most personal project in Barcelona, the Estimar restaurant, where he pays tribute to the sea and its products, a mission he continues at Estimar Madrid, as well as with the opening of Cala Jondal in Ibiza in 2020, from where he continues to convey his love for the Mediterranean, always alongside his partners Anna Gotanegra and Ricardo Acquista.

Gonzalo Hernández H8

GONZALO
HERNÁNDEZ

Head chef

GONZALO
HERNÁNDEZ

Head chef

Trained at the Hoffman School, Gonzalo Hernandez has worked in some of Spain's most prestigious kitchens, from Can Jubany to Jondal, Heart Ibiza, Pakta and Hotel Visitabella. He also has international experience at the two Michelin-starred Gaggan restaurant in Bangkok, which was voted the fourth best restaurant in the world. After overseeing the opening of Jondal Restaurant in Ibiza, Rafa Zafra has entrusted him with the kitchen at the new Amar Barcelona.

Victor Garcia 2o Jefe Cocina Amar Barcelona9

VICTOR
GARCÍA

Sous chef

After studying cooking and pastry making at the Osona Pastry School, Victor García worked in the kitchens of various Michelin-starred restaurants such as Pakta, Tickets, Can Jubany, Ca l'Enric, Hotel Visitabella, Estimar and Jondal, either as a chef or pastry chef. He has international experience at La Postrería, voted the best dessert spot in Mexico.

Juanma Holgado

JUANMA
HOLGADO

Head waiter and Sommelier

After studying sommelier studies at the International Wine Centre in New York, he began working at Casa Mono (1 Michelin star) and completed an internship at Daniel Boulud's restaurant in the city. Back in Barcelona, he has worked in all professional positions related to wine: sales agent at Sentits Barcelona, brand ambassador at Castell d'Encús and Ferrer Bobet, director of the Moritz Factory Wine Bar, director of the Vins&Co wine shop, and even opening his own wine bar before joining the Amar Barcelona team.

Priscilla Bellido

PRISCILLA
BELLIDO

Head of Pastry

After training at L'Atelier, where she transformed her passion into a true vocation, she began her professional career at Amar Barcelona, where she currently serves as head pastry chef, leading the creation of sweet treats with creativity and excellence.

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THE RESTAURANT

This is a Mediterranean restaurant, passionate about and focused on its produce, from the sea and the land, with a superb selection of meats. It is about finding luxury in the prestige of the finest produce, the quality of the technique, the comfort of the space and the elegance of El Palace Barcelona, but with a fresh, youthful touch that flows and does not weigh down those who enjoy it. In managing this restaurant, Rafa Zafra wants to ‘offer honest cuisine based on the quality of the ingredients, focusing on the “casualisation” of luxury in a unique and elegant setting’.

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THE RESTAURANT

Milhojas vainilla2