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Portrait of Spanish chef José Pizarro

José Pizarro is a Spanish chef, restaurateur and writer. He runs José Pizarro Group, which currently includes six restaurants in the UK and one in Abu Dhabi.[1] He has published six cookbooks and is a regular guest on TV shows and at festivals around the UK. Pizarro is often credited with making Spanish food popular in the country.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Originally from the village of Talaván in Cáceres, Extremadura, Pizarro grew up in a family of farmers and helped his parents produce vegetables, dairy products and different meats throughout his childhood.[3][4][5]

He trained as a dental technician and took a cookery course. While waiting for his first position to begin, Pizarro was offered work in a rotisserie kitchen in Cáceres, which kickstarted his career as a chef.[6][7]

Career

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José Pizarro spent his early years training in some of the top restaurants in Spain before becoming Head Chef at Michelin-starred restaurant El Mesón de Doña Filo.[8] In 1998, he decided to move to London despite not speaking any English and spent time working at some of the city's most prestigious Spanish restaurants including Eyre Brothers, Brindisa and Gaudi.[6][9][10]

In 2011, Pizarro opened his first solo venture, José Tapas Bar on Bermondsey Street, inspired by the tapas bars of Barcelona. In the same year, he opened his next venture, Pizarro Restaurant, also on Bermondsey Street.[citation needed] The restaurant went on to earn several accolades including Best Mediterranean Establishment at The Food Awards London, The Rosette Awards for Culinary Excellence, Food and Travel Magazine's Best Newcomer of the Year and Best Restaurant of the Year.[11]

Pizarro opened two further venues in London: José Pizarro at Broadgate Circle and pop-up restaurant Little José in Canary Wharf (now closed). His next venture was The Swan Inn in Esher, which he took over from fellow chef Claude Bosi in 2019.[12]

In August 2021, Pizarro opened two restaurants at the Royal Academy of Arts.[13][14] The two locations were created in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts and its creative catering and hospitality partner, Company of Cooks.[15]

Pizarro opened Iris Zahara, a guest house in Zahara de Los Atunes, Andalusia, in 2022.[16] The seaside property can host up to six guests at a time, who can join the chef and his partner Peter on food and travel experiences such as private wine and sherry trips, culinary tours and cookery experiences with Pizarro in his own kitchen.[17]

In March 2023, Pizarro opened José by Pizarro, a restaurant inside the Conrad Hilton in Abu Dhabi. This was his first restaurant opening outside the UK.[18][19]

Television and other media

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A regular on the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Pizarro has also appeared on Sunday Brunch, Weekend Kitchen with Waitrose, This Morning,[20] Rick Stein's Christmas,[21] Food Network’s The Big Eat and James Martin's Saturday Morning.[22]

Awards

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  • Chef of the Year – Food & Travel Magazine's Reader Awards 2021[23]
  • Newcomer of the Year Winner 2012 – Food & Travel Magazine's Reader Awards 2012[11]
  • Restaurant of the Year Winner 2012 – Food & Travel Magazine's Reader Awards 2012[11]
  • Extremeño de Hoy 2014[24]
  • 100 Españoles 2014[25]
  • Pizarro voted in at No. 35 in the Restaurant Magazine Awards 2015[26][27]
  • Number 39 in Harpers' Hot 100 2017[28]
  • Best Cookbook (Basque) at the Food & Travel Magazine’s Reader Awards 2017[29]
  • Taste of London 2017 Best in Taste runner-up[30]
  • Galardón Turístico Gruta de Aracena 2016[31]
  • Restaurant of the Year (Pizarro) at the World Food Awards 2012[32]

Published works

[edit]
  • Pizarro, José (2009). Seasonal Spanish Food. London: Kyle Books. ISBN 9780857830845
  • Pizarro, José (2012). José Pizarro's Spanish Flavours. London: Kyle Books. ISBN 9780857834560
  • Pizarro, José (2016). Basque. London: Hardie Grant. ISBN 9781784883683
  • Pizarro, José (2017). Catalonia. London: Hardie Grant. ISBN 9781784881160
  • Pizarro, José (2019). Recipes from Andalusia. London: Hardie Grant. ISBN 9781784886325
  • Pizarro, José (2022). The Spanish Home Kitchen. London: Hardie Grant. ISBN 9781784884475

Personal life

[edit]

José lives in London and Spain with his partner Dr Peter Meades and their two dogs, Conchi and Pie.[33][34]

References

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  1. ^ "Dive into Spanish flavours at José by Pizarro". Time Our Abu Dhabi. 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  2. ^ Clay, Xanthe (2019-11-12). "The key to great Spanish cooking? It's all about the ingredients, says José Pizarro". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  3. ^ Pizarro, José (2023-11-06). "The recipes José Pizarro cooks at home". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  4. ^ Berning-Sawa, Interview by Dale; Sawa, Dale Berning (2015-03-13). "El gran adiós: José Pizarro's final meal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  5. ^ Pizarro, Jose (2020-02-07). "My Addresses: chef José Pizarro on Extremadura". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  6. ^ a b "José Pizarro – Great British Chefs". www.greatbritishchefs.com. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  7. ^ "Chef Jose Pizarro is feted with a party at the Spanish Embassy". Hot Dinners. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  8. ^ "BA – The Club – A chef's guide: where to eat in 2020". theclub.ba.com. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  9. ^ "King of Spain: José Pizarro". Food and Travel Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  10. ^ Peters, Rick (2010-01-20). "Live chat with José Pizarro". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  11. ^ a b c "Pizarro gets the double at the Food and Travel awards". Hot Dinners. 2012-09-04. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  12. ^ Nightingale, Laura (2019-01-16). "Chef José Pizarro to take over this Esher pub in the spring". Surrey Live. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  13. ^ "Menuwatch: José Pizarro at the Royal Academy..." The Caterer. 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  14. ^ Cooper, Leonie (2021-07-13). "José Pizarro is opening not one but two new restaurants". Time Out London. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  15. ^ Patalay, Ajesh (2021-09-23). "At home with chef José Pizarro". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  16. ^ Gordon, Sarah (2023-11-06). "The insider's guide to secret Spain". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  17. ^ "José Pizarro tells Chris Evans the secret to the perfect salad and why Churros mean so much to him | Virgin Radio UK". virginradio.co.uk. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  18. ^ "José Pizarro opening first restaurant outside of Europe at Conrad Abu Dhabi". The Caterer Middle East. 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  19. ^ "José Pizarro on why his new restaurant at Conrad Abu Dhabi was a no-brainer". Hotelier Middle East. 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  20. ^ Jose's Taste Of Spain With His Classic Meatball Recipe | This Morning, 22 July 2022, retrieved 2023-11-06
  21. ^ "BBC Two – Rick Stein's Spanish Christmas". BBC. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  22. ^ "James Martin's Saturday Morning". Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  23. ^ "Food and Travel Reader Awards 2021 | The Winners". Food and Travel Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  24. ^ ""Se me saltaron las lágrimas cuando me llamasteis"". Hoy (in European Spanish). 2014-12-01. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  25. ^ Redacción (2014-05-29). "El restaurador español José Pizarro: un español de "100"". El Ibérico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  26. ^ greatbritishchefs. "The National Restaurant Awards 2015". www.greatbritishchefs.com. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  27. ^ morningadvertiser.co.uk (2015-06-29). "National Restaurant Awards: The Sportsman wins Gastropub of the Year 2015". morningadvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  28. ^ "Harpers' Hot 100: Celebrating the most influential people in the on-trade – Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News". harpers.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  29. ^ Rankin, Gregor (2017-12-20), Food and Travel Reader Awards 2017, retrieved 2023-11-06
  30. ^ "Our pick of dishes to try at Taste of London 2017". Hot Dinners. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  31. ^ "I Galardones Turísticos 'Gruta de Aracena'". Ayuntamiento de Aracena (in Spanish). 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  32. ^ "World Food Awards 2012, Part 1: The Event". Food I Fancy. 2012-11-22. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  33. ^ Duggins, Alexi (2016-02-10). "'You've got to be pretty ballsy' – the perils of cooking when your other half's a restaurant superstar". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  34. ^ Phillips, Emily (2021-12-10). "My London: José Pizarro". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
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