Cristina Figueira

Chef Esperança Cano's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in honoring the extensive 110-year family legacy of El Xato, a heritage she embraces as the fifth generation at the helm. Her core ethos centers on prioritizing the guest experience, aiming for customer happiness and a desire for their return, rather than chasing spectacularity or external accolades. She firmly believes that personal well-being is intrinsically linked to one's cooking, stating, "cocinas como eres y como estás," advocating for a sustainable professional life and emphasizing a collaborative team environment in the kitchen. She also believes in continuous learning through hands-on experience, valuing practical kitchen mastery. Ingredient sourcing for Chef Cano is characterized by an unwavering commitment to proximity and territoriality, creating a menu profoundly rooted in the local Alicantino land, or "la terreta." She meticulously selects products from nearby providers, such as mini artichokes from Villena, white prawns from Santa Pola, kid from Polop, and citrus varieties from 'El sabor del Masset' in Callosa d'en Sarrià. Her approach extends to maximizing ingredient utility, exemplified by making broth from fava bean pods, and collaborating directly with local artisans for items like artisanal chocolate from Chocolates Pérez and Marcona almonds, ensuring that the flavors genuinely represent her region. Her overarching vision for El Xato is to evolve its identity, making the restaurant "more hers" while steadfastly preserving its traditional essence. She strives for excellence in every minute detail of the customer's journey, viewing the Michelin star not as a final goal, but as a validating signal that the team is on the right path. Chef Cano aspires for guests to relax, enjoy, and find joy in their dining experience, ultimately wishing to be recognized as a skilled cook, following in her mother's esteemed footsteps. She holds a holistic view of gastronomy, seeing it as a complete experience that extends beyond the plate to embody the unique identity and rich culture of her homeland. Chef Esperança Cano's technical style is a masterful fusion of traditional Alicantino recipes with modern, refined techniques, driven by a deep respect for product and heritage. She has meticulously re-structured the kitchen's operations, drawing inspiration from the highly organized systems observed in establishments like Ricard Camarena's. Her approach is characterized by precision and thoughtful decision-making, where every step in the menu's creation is a conscious choice, from sourcing to preparation, and constantly re-evaluated. She skillfully employs diverse techniques including confiting, frying, low-temperature cooking, and crafting complex consommés, creams, pilpils, and aerations. In terms of flavor and plating, Chef Cano exhibits a profound understanding of ingredients' intrinsic qualities, such as the unique bitterness of the artichoke, which she skillfully balances and enhances. Her creative pairings, like artichoke with coffee and cocoa, demonstrate an innovative palate. She focuses on developing intense, concentrated flavors, as seen in her super-reduced tomato broth, and values visual beauty and aesthetic presentation, a lesson she deeply appreciated during her time at Quique Dacosta. Her goal is to create a cohesive menu that narrates the story of her land through authentic, impactful flavors, deliberately moving away from merely "effectist" or impersonal culinary trends. Among her legendary signature dishes are: an innovative Artichoke dish, her "fetiche" product, which combines the vegetable with coffee and cocoa, a mushroom consommé, and an artichoke cream. She also features Fava beans (habitas) with white prawns from Santa Pola, ingeniously served with a broth crafted from the fava bean pods to maximize flavor and minimize waste. Other notable creations include Hake (merluza) with vanilla pilpil, and a slow-cooked Quail (codorniz) prepared at a low temperature, accompanied by roasted chestnut cream, quail bone sauce, air of burnt sheep's milk from Quesería San Antonio, crunchy raspberry, and a unique Alicantino mole made with artisanal chocolate from Chocolates Pérez and Marcona almonds. Her menu also features a warm interpretation of the traditional tomato and salted fish salad (ensalada de tomate y salazones) with a concentrated tomato broth and grated mojol roe, and mini artichokes from Villena presented in a classic "borreta" dish.

Career

• Jefa de Cocina at El Xato, La Nucía
• Kitchen Staff (under Cristina Figueira) at El Xato, La Nucía

Mentored by Cristina Figueira.