JORDI CRUZ

Mr. Jordi Cruz, born in Manresa (Barcelona) on June 29th, 1978. He currently runs the ABaC restaurant in Barcelona.

Avant-garde in his work, he trained as a cook at the Escuela Superior de Hostelería in Manresa, Barcelona. At the age of 14 he began his career in the kitchen of the restaurant Estany Clar, in Cercs, Barcelona, where he received his first Michelin star in November 2004 for his avant-garde work. At the age of 26 he became the youngest chef in Spain and the second in the world to receive this distinction. He has obtained a total of 2 Michelin stars already in the kitchens of ABaC Restaurant & Hotel.

On television he has been one of the hosts of the MasterChef Spain program of which he is a judge together with Pepe Rodriguez (A Michelin Star) and Samanta Vallejo-Nagera, where he has jumped to popularity and national recognition. He has presented the 2014 and 2016 campaigns on RTVE, and has been on the cover of Men's Health magazine after overcoming the proposed challenge.

AWARDS

Among his most outstanding awards he has been Champion of Spain for Young Chefs, which he won in San Sebastian in 2002; the International Award for Cooking with Olive Oil of Jaen, achieved in 2003; and the sub-championship of Spain for Young Values, City of Marbella, also in 2003, in 2006 he was proclaimed champion of the first edition of the Cook of the Year Competition (CCA), event of whose jury is currently vice-president (along with chef Martin Berasategui).
In December 2007, Jordi Cruz left the Estany Clar and became manager and head chef of the restaurant L'Angle de Món Sant Benet (Barcelona). In November 2008 this establishment also won its first Michelin star. In May 2010, he joined the management team of ABaC Restaurant & Hotel, where he was awarded two stars by the prestigious Michelin Guide.