Jordi Cruz Mas

My name is Jordi Cruz Mas. I’m the chef of three restaurants in Barcelona: ABaC Restaurant, Angle Barcelona and Ten’s Tapas Restaurant. I am co-founder and creator of Angle 10′s.

I was born north of bustling Barcelona, in a quiet and very small Catalan town of Manresa. Away from the coast and beaches, where women don’t always cover themselves with clothing.

Not coincidentally I got on fine dining. It wasn’t so much that I studied to be a lawyer, and then spat on the tie and decided to wear chef’s hat.

At 7, I have prepared my mom dish of beans with potatoes — a traditional Catalan food. My mom got sick and I wanted to jolly her up a bit.

That not only parents say children when they are 7 years old, right? When once you successfully knock with a wooden spoon over the pot and you hear, “Oh, this is the reason, he will become a chef!”. Or perform a pirouette in the middle of the kitchen wearing warm pantyhose – so, you are future ballet dancer.

So, my mom tried my dish and told me that I would be a chef. Only now, she was right.

Already being more than 11 years old, I entered the Escola Superior de Hostelería Joviat, in Manresa. Lots of talented chefs graduated from there. And I’m not the only one who now have a treasured Michelin star. I am happy that once decided to study there.

Any professional should know his craft — in 14 years I begin to work as a waiter in Cercs Estany Clar in Barcelona. 10 years later, the same place I had one Michelin star. I became the youngest chef in Spain and the second in the world to be awarded the distinguished legendary guide.

I imagine what serious chefs with experience could think about me, when I was given a star just at age 24. But honestly, I don’t care.

In general, the world of gastronomy is striking. In 2002 and 2003, I won four serious awards — the Young Chef’s Spanish Championship in San Sebastian, for example. In 2006 I became the chef of the year. And now I have 4 Michelin star. Two of them I got in ABaC Restaurant & Hotel, about the first, you know, and the fourth — in Ten’s.

And what, do you think I became a star? No, but when I go to a judge of Master Chef Spain (you have this show?) — And my page on Facebook endlessly makes sounds from new applications to friends. Yes, the TV has great power.

I don’t have a favorite dish and favorite food. It all depends on from the moment «when», «where», «who».
It happens that for me enough a good sandwich, and sometimes, I want only terrific skilful dish.
But most of all, I strike with buns of puff pastry. What would you don’t do with them ,they always delicious.

I could say that in my spare time I photographing, playing the big tennis or riding on my motorcycle. But I’m the chef of three restaurants, and I don’t have too much time. I was lucky – most of all I like cooking — this is my hobby.
Not to look boring, tell you that else I like watching movies and reading. Although much people like it, huh? Well, I’m boring, but I do cooking well.
Oh yes, I wrote the book «Cooking with logic: technique and concepts in the kitchen of Estany Clar «, it seems more interesting than reading.

Come to Barcelona opened for new gastronomic tastes and moods. Try something new and enjoy it. Of course, it’ll be easy to do in ABaC – I’m looking forward to you here.

And yet — sometimes it’s necessary to believe in what your parents say at age 7. Of course, when they scream that you become an astronaut just because you successfully jumped on the bed and got with hands to the ceiling, it’s doubtful. And in other cases they might be right.

The dish on the photo is Parmesan gnocchi with truffles. I like working with fresh seasonal ingredients and always cook from the fact that it was the freshest on the market. This dish is the latest creation in ABaC.