Bittor Arginzoniz

Bittor Arginzoniz opened Etxebarri (in Atxondo, Biscay) in 1990, where he took on the role of head waiter, not yet knowing how to cook. In 1998 he put a charcoal barbecue outside the restaurant where he cooked some chops that were a great success. That sowed the seed for the restaurant Etxebarri which, 20 years later, would be highly acclaimed in international guides and listings. Over the years, Arginzoniz has substituted charcoal for different types of wood, updated the kitchen to make room for brick ovens, and has not stopped searching for the best raw ingredients to be cooked on the grill. He grows vegetables in his garden and believes in using local produce, although if he believes that best ingredients can't be found locally, he will source them from outside of the Basque Country, such as Palamós red prawns or Galician meat.