Manresa-born Jordi Cruz Mas received his first Michelin star at 24 and is now chef of three Barcelona restaurants: ABaC, Angle Barcelona and Ten’s Tapas Restaurant.
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 also the co-founder and creator of Angle 10’s.
I was born north of bustling Barcelona, in Manresa, a quiet and very small Catalan town, far from the coast and the beaches where women don’t always bother with clothing.
I didn’t end up in fine dining by accident. It’s not as if I studied to be a lawyer, then said to hell with the tie and decided to put on a chef’s hat.
At 7, I made my mom a dish of beans with potatoes, a traditional Catalan dish. She was sick, and I wanted to cheer her up a bit.
The things parents tell their 7-year-olds, right? You bang a wooden spoon on a pot just once and hear, “Oh, there it is, he’ll be a chef!” Or you do a pirouette in the middle of the kitchen in warm tights, and now you’re a future ballet dancer.
So my mom tasted my dish and told me I would be a chef. Only this time, she was right.
When I was a little over 11, I entered the Escola Superior de Hostelería Joviat in Manresa. Lots of talented chefs have graduated from there, and I’m not the only one who now holds a treasured Michelin star. I’m glad I once decided to study there.
Every professional should know the craft: at 14 I started working as a waiter at Estany Clar in Cercs, in the province of Barcelona. 10 years later, at the same place, I received one Michelin star. I became the youngest chef in Spain, and the second in the world, to be awarded a star by the distinguished, legendary guide.
I can imagine what serious, experienced chefs might have thought of me when I was given a star at just 24. But honestly, I don’t care.
In general, the world of gastronomy is striking. In 2002 and 2003 I won four serious awards, including the Young Chef’s Spanish Championship in San Sebastián. In 2006 I became Chef of the Year. And now I have 4 Michelin stars: two of them at ABaC Restaurant & Hotel, the first one you already know about, and the fourth at Ten’s.
So do you think that made me a star? No. But when I became a judge on Master Chef Spain (do you have that show?), my Facebook page wouldn’t stop pinging with new friend requests. Yes, TV has great power.
I don’t have a favorite dish or a favorite food. It all depends on the moment: when, where and with whom. Sometimes a good sandwich is enough for me, and sometimes I want nothing less than a terrific, skillfully made dish. But what amazes me most of all is puff pastry buns: whatever you do with them, they’re always delicious.
I could say that in my spare time I take photos, play tennis or ride my motorcycle. But I’m the chef of three restaurants, and I don’t have much time. I’m lucky: cooking is what I like most, and it’s my hobby.
So as not to seem boring, I’ll add that I also like watching movies and reading. Although lots of people like that, huh? Well, I’m boring, but I cook well. Oh yes, I wrote the book “Cooking with logic: technique and concepts in the kitchen of Estany Clar”, and writing a book seems more interesting than reading one.
Come to Barcelona open to new gastronomic tastes and moods. Try something new and enjoy it. Of course, that will be easy to do at ABaC, and I look forward to seeing you here.
And one more thing: sometimes you should believe what your parents tell you at 7. Of course, when they shout that you’ll be an astronaut just because you jumped on the bed and touched the ceiling, that’s doubtful. But in other cases they might be right.
The dish in the photo is Parmesan gnocchi with truffles. I like working with fresh seasonal ingredients and always cook with whatever is freshest at the market. This dish is the latest creation at ABaC.
