1.At what age did you develop your love for cooking? I have developed my love for cooking ever since I was a child. I used to see my dad cooking doig something from food and enjoy speaking about his cuisine that it made me more curious and ambitious about it. 2.What was your inspiration to enter into the cooking industry and by whom were you supported? The first day in the kitchen , I fell in love with the kitchen and vis versa When I was 20 years old I decided to study Hospitality till today I have been cooking for 30 years and everything has always been marvelous. 3.You have run the Etxanobe restaurant since 1998, and if we are not mistaken, it was called after you mother's maiden name, can you tell us the story behind this? After 10 years as a professional cook I have decided to open my own business I have used my mother's maiden name because it's a typical & exclusive family name in my country It's been 16 years that I have my own business a restaurant that is functioning very well. The success has been bigger than expected, in fact it has been a big risk to open my restaurant as it is placed 30 meter above the floor, and my team has been very supportive throughout the way. 4.What was the turning point of your career which you believe attributed to all this success? I think that the fact that I can take all the decisions was something very important. In a restaurant the decisions are emotional and compulsive and spontaneous. There is no time to calculate. the fact that my character is coherent with my project sincere and non-conformist and honest which made this coherence develop in my business. 5.To whom would you like to dedicate all the success? To all the people those efforts made the hospitality industry nice and beautiful to work. And my dad who passed away 6 months that loved me so deeply. 6.What experience do you believe was the hardest challenge for you? Going to Hong Kong and giving food to 1500 people and doing a live cooking show for one month 7.Have you always focused on the Spanish cuisine? Do you consider specializing in others? My knowledge was in Spanish cuisine although I am very open to new and international cuisines. My curiosity has always enriched me. The Sumac is going to take part of my dishes. The excellent products get incorporated with my personality. 8.Which cuisine you believe is the most challenging? The one that is not understood 9.How do you feel to know that your cooking class which will be held at Phoenicia has been overbooked? very happy , I will try to give as usual the best in me and I will try to give the people who will be present the opportunity of loving my cuisine. 10.Any advice to the young professionals who wish to open their own restaurants? to be humble hard workers and non-conformists and to enjoy every single day of a marvelous profession. To learn from their own mistakes and to always be positive we are what we project not what we receive.
