Carme Ruscalleda i Serra (, born in 1952) is the renowned Spanish

chef A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a k ...

of the restaurant Sant Pau in

Sant Pol de Mar Sant Pol de Mar () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is located on the coast between Canet de Mar and Calella. The national highway N-II and a station on the RENFE railway line link ''Sant Pol de Mar'' to ...

, near

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. She also owns and manages the restaurant Sant Pau de Tòquio in Japan. Ruscalleda was raised in a family of farmers and began cooking as a girl. She studied ''

Charcuterie Charcuterie ( , also ; ; from french: chair, , flesh, label=none, and french: cuit, , cooked, label=none) is a French term for a branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, '' galantines'', '' ...

'' technics, as well as Commerce, and after marrying a grocery owner, Toni Balam in 1975, the couple opened restaurant ''Sant Pau'' in 1988. In 1991 it obtained its first

Michelin Guide The Michelin Guides ( ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few establishments. The acquisition or loss of ...

star and in 2006 obtained its third Michelin star. Today her restaurants have seven Michelin stars in total: three in her restaurant in Catalonia and two for the Sant Pau in Tokyo, and two for Moments Restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona (opened 2016), making her the world's only seven-Michelin-starred female chef.Carme Ruscalleda - the world's only five-Michelin-starred female chef
caterersearch.com The restaurant in Sant Pol de Mar also obtained the maximum three suns of the Campsa Guide in 1999. Her cuisine is strongly based on Catalan tradition though open to world influences, and focuses on quality and seasonal products. She often relates the dishes served to a

leitmotif A leitmotif or leitmotiv () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is an anglic ...

explained in the menu, creating a sort of literary concept. Since 2000, she has published numerous books on

Mediterranean cuisine Mediterranean cuisine is the food and methods of preparation used by the people of the Mediterranean Basin. The idea of a Mediterranean cuisine originates with the cookery writer Elizabeth David's book, '' A Book of Mediterranean Food'' (1950 ...

, with an emphasis on modern, easy, quick and tasty meals; including recipes adapted to non-professional kitchens. The most celebrated is ''Cuinar per ser feliç'' (2001), ''Cooking to be happy''. In English she has published ''Carme Ruscalleda's Mediterranean cuisine'' (2007), Salsa Books Editions. She is currently overseeing her restaurants and the head chef at the Moments restaurant at the

Mandarin Oriental Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group International Limited (MOHG) is a Hong Kong hotel investment and management group focusing on luxury hotels, resorts, and residences, with a total of 33 properties worldwide, 20 of which are fully or partially ow ...

is now the 2 stars Michelin chef, Raül Balam.

In popular culture

There is a ''

sardana The ''sardana'' (; plural ''sardanes'' in Catalan) is a Catalan musical genre typical of Catalan culture and danced in circle following a set of steps. The dance was originally from the Empordà region, but started gaining popularity througho ...

'' called ''Carme Ruscalleda'' in the album ''Ballem-la'' (''Let's dance it''), played by the

cobla The cobla (, plural ''cobles'') is a traditional music ensemble of Catalonia, and in Northern Catalonia in France. It is generally used to accompany the Sardana, a traditional Catalan folk dance, danced in a circle. Structure The modern Cobla no ...

''La Flama'' and composed by Pere Vilà in 2001.

References

External links

Carme Ruscalleda
1952 births Living people People from Maresme Chefs from Catalonia Mediterranean cuisine Spanish chefs Head chefs of Michelin starred restaurants Women chefs {{Spain-bio-stub