Carles Abellán (Spain)
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| Carles Abellan is one of "The World's Most Influential, creative and important Chefs" |
Catalonian
chef Carles Abellan revolutionized the tapas scene when he deployed all
his imagination and culinary skills at his restaurant Comerç 24, opened
in 2001. Never before had there been so much talk about a menu based on
tapas. His very elaborate, surprising creations opened up a whole new
field of gastronomic experimentation.
Born in Sabadell in 1963, at the age of 22 he entered the newly-created School of Catering and Hospitality in Barcelona. While studying, he worked at Els Pescadors, a restaurant in Prim square in the Poblenou district of Barcelona. He then moved to L'Odissea, and then to the kitchen of the Hotel Melià, where he met Christian Escribà and the other young chefs who were beginning to stand out as a group in Barcelona. That was when he came into contact with Ferran Adrià . In 1984, he went to elBulli as a trainee for what was initially going to be just two weeks but ended up staying on for six years. This was followed by other restaurants that developed out of the elBulli concept, adding up to a total of 15 years.
In 1996, Juli Soler and Adrià offered him a position at Talaia, a restaurant that existed back then in Barcelona’s Olympic port. He accepted and ended up as manager, although he was already thinking about setting up his own operation. In 1998, he took another offer from Adrià and became manager of the elBulli Hacienda de Benazuza, in Seville. He was there for three years then finally took the step he had been waiting for, opening up his own business at Comerç 24.
This establishment lies midway between a bar and a restaurant, and specializes in designer tapas. Carles likes to call Comerç 24 a "glocal" restaurant, one in which the local Barcelona tapas tradition receives influences from Mexican, Italian, Asian and other international cuisines. The decor sets out to make an immediate impression – streamlined, striking and ultramodern.
In 2007, Carles opened up a new establishment on the cosmopolitan Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, called Tapaç 24. Its 125 square meters (149 square yards) every day receive about 400 people who come in to try out this chef’s gastronomic creations..
In July 2009, Carles Abellan and his team opened up El Velódromo, an establishment that dates back to 1933 but that had been closed for years until the Moritz brewery and this prestigious Catalonian chef brought it back to life. The idea was to recover the café-bar-bistrot concept, somewhere to go for a beer, a coffee, or a meal, anytime from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day of the year. The food on offer ranged from traditional Catalonian cuisine, to sandwiches with locally-made charcuterie and cheese, tapas, quality preserves, etc. This Abellan's collaboration with El Velódromo concluded in september 2011. Catalan chef Jordi Vila was chosen by el Velódromo to continue this collaboration agreement.
Abellan took over as head of Bravo24 restaurant in Barcelona's W Hotel at the end of 2009. The cooking at Bravo24 focuses on meat, fish and shellfish as main dishes, treating ingredients with care and respecting their essential properties, without too many distractions.
Born in Sabadell in 1963, at the age of 22 he entered the newly-created School of Catering and Hospitality in Barcelona. While studying, he worked at Els Pescadors, a restaurant in Prim square in the Poblenou district of Barcelona. He then moved to L'Odissea, and then to the kitchen of the Hotel Melià, where he met Christian Escribà and the other young chefs who were beginning to stand out as a group in Barcelona. That was when he came into contact with Ferran Adrià . In 1984, he went to elBulli as a trainee for what was initially going to be just two weeks but ended up staying on for six years. This was followed by other restaurants that developed out of the elBulli concept, adding up to a total of 15 years.
In 1996, Juli Soler and Adrià offered him a position at Talaia, a restaurant that existed back then in Barcelona’s Olympic port. He accepted and ended up as manager, although he was already thinking about setting up his own operation. In 1998, he took another offer from Adrià and became manager of the elBulli Hacienda de Benazuza, in Seville. He was there for three years then finally took the step he had been waiting for, opening up his own business at Comerç 24.
This establishment lies midway between a bar and a restaurant, and specializes in designer tapas. Carles likes to call Comerç 24 a "glocal" restaurant, one in which the local Barcelona tapas tradition receives influences from Mexican, Italian, Asian and other international cuisines. The decor sets out to make an immediate impression – streamlined, striking and ultramodern.
In 2007, Carles opened up a new establishment on the cosmopolitan Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, called Tapaç 24. Its 125 square meters (149 square yards) every day receive about 400 people who come in to try out this chef’s gastronomic creations..
In July 2009, Carles Abellan and his team opened up El Velódromo, an establishment that dates back to 1933 but that had been closed for years until the Moritz brewery and this prestigious Catalonian chef brought it back to life. The idea was to recover the café-bar-bistrot concept, somewhere to go for a beer, a coffee, or a meal, anytime from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day of the year. The food on offer ranged from traditional Catalonian cuisine, to sandwiches with locally-made charcuterie and cheese, tapas, quality preserves, etc. This Abellan's collaboration with El Velódromo concluded in september 2011. Catalan chef Jordi Vila was chosen by el Velódromo to continue this collaboration agreement.
Abellan took over as head of Bravo24 restaurant in Barcelona's W Hotel at the end of 2009. The cooking at Bravo24 focuses on meat, fish and shellfish as main dishes, treating ingredients with care and respecting their essential properties, without too many distractions.
