Chefs

“The culinary footprint left behind by different cultures that have passed through the city is the pillar upon which our cuisine is built. Toledo’s cuisine has historically also provided a great draw for curious travellers, artists and intellectuals.”
Iván Cerdeño offers his culinary interpretation of Toledo’s past and environment, rooted in its vegetable gardens, riverside and nearby mountains. His menus draw on memories and seasonal produce, paying tribute to La Mancha’s finest products, always with a dash of modernity with the chef’s signature style, blending ingredients from the sea and mountains.

"We live between culinary tradition and modernity, reinventing the profoundly Manchegan dishes that my family used to prepare in the old inn, to adjust to the flavours and style we love today."
At El Bohío, Pepe Rodríguez and his team draw on local traditions, tapping into La Mancha’s culinary past to tailor centuries-old flavours and products to modern tastes, while preserving the homely feel of the old inn where the restaurant is housed.

“Our cuisine adopts a more avant-garde culinary approach to our local flavours, always drawing on local and seasonal produce, while keeping a watchful eye on external techniques and influences.”
El Doncel’s culinary offerings are rooted in seasonal products representing our region’s finest, working alongside local small-scale producers, and adding value to their work. Priority is given to certain products depending on the season. This results in a creative, personalised, and unique culinary offering, placing value on staples such as salt from the inland region, cereals and hunting resources, without ever forgetting our roots.

“Maralba's cuisine is deeply rooted in La Mancha, but given Almansa's location near the Mediterranean, products from the sea heavily influence our restaurant.”
At Maralba, located in the foothills of Almansa Castle, Fran Martínez knows how to bring out the best of the region's gastronomy and products, adding a dash of modernity and uniqueness. Manchegan roots permeate Maralba’s dishes through products such as dried peppers, saffron, and several other regional ingredients. The Mediterranean influence also adds a delicious freshness to the cuisine.

Olga García and Álex Paz have created dynamic, free cuisine drawing on the freshest seasonal produce, alongside an eclectic, extensive wine menu specially paired with the different dishes on offer. Fuentelgato has created an oasis and is a major player in the rebirth of the Cuenca highlands culinary scene.

Cañitas Maite, run by young chefs Javier Sanz and Juan Sahuquillo, has a commitment to excellent produce and a refined cuisine with careful attention to detail, seeking bring out the finest flavours. The bar menu and traditional dishes have a distinct local influence, featuring sheep's milk, used to make the béchamel sauce for its award-winning croquettes.

“To think of Castilla-La Mancha cuisine conjures up images of traditional dishes, deeply rooted in local produce and known the world over.”
Jesús Segura is one of the finest representatives of cuisine from the dry lands. Under the slogan "Cocinando Cuenca” (“Cooking Cuenca”), his dishes include important ideas such as sustainability and zero-KM food, drawing on all the opportunities available in the local area: clay, game, mushrooms, aromatic herbs, as well as deploying other traditional ingredients to create haute cuisine. A veritable explosion of flavours.

Epílogo is defined as “evolving cuisine”, blending La Mancha produce with innovative techniques helping to position the restaurant as a culinary pioneer in the Ciudad Real region. Rubén Sanchez, Epílogo's head chef, dishes up a sustainable, ecological, zero km experience that begins as soon as diners walk in the door thanks to a unique dining area: an extremely bright room, a wine cellar in full view and an open kitchen.

“We aim to reflect our region’s cuisine as faithfully as possible. All our dishes are bursting with traditional flavours but pack a couple of twists to surprise diners.”
Samuel Moreno reinterprets Castilian cuisine, transforming traditional dishes into haute cuisine with a dash of sophistication. El Molino de Alcuneza is one of the most charming local restaurants due to its beautiful setting: a flour mill over 500 years old.

A champion of local produce, Chef Miguel Ángel Expósito has designed a menu bursting with passion, modernity and traditional La Mancha recipes. Retama’s culinary offerings have a unique identity, a sensory journey to discover Castilla-La Mancha’s authentic flavours.

"At Raíces, we seek to inspire and tell stories. Our dishes are daring and deeply rooted in my land. I tell diners that if I can get inside their taste buds, I’ll leave a little piece of my soul behind"
Raíces tells the story of Talavera de la Reina and Carlos Maldonado himself through its menu. Each dish offers a little piece of the chef. He seeks to inspire with strong flavours and to draw on the most traditional local recipes, but with an uncomplicated world view. Maldonado aims to surprise with carefully prepared, daring, and wild dishes, featuring local Talavera pottery that is a true work of art.

Raúl Barroso designs cuisine with a traditional approach, with suckling lamb and pig playing a major role in his dishes. Las Esparteras’ crown jewel is, however, its wine cellar, home to leading Spanish and international brands, and wines from smaller, more boutique winegrowers.

“A cuisine deeply rooted in La Mancha’s traditions, with a modern dash, employing local produce including fruit, vegetables and mushrooms, regional lamb, sheep's milk cheeses and small game meats”
Teresa has created cuisine with its roots in La Mancha and a subtle modern touch, employing local produce including fruit, vegetables and mushrooms, regional lamb, sheep's milk cheeses and small game meats.” The menu dishes up traditional, La Mancha fare, with Teresa’s signature flare and style.

Nöla is an eatery housed in one of the most emblematic edifices in the medieval city of Sigüenza, the Casa del Doncel (the Squire’s House). A place where quality and touches of haute cuisine permeate the menu, with an emphasis on local products and reinventing traditional dishes.

“Honest cuisine, with a genuine commitment to the environment and the zero km products. Anything added to the dish is an unnecessary extra. What you see is what you get. Local produce and raw materials dominate, as they did for our ancestors, mothers, and grandmothers”
In the heart of Cuenca’s old town, housed in old 16th century stables, Raff San Pedro restaurant invites diners to travel back in time and discover local culinary traditions through recipes, aromas, flavours, textures, and memories. The culinary offerings draw on traditional cuisine, with a modern twist, but always respecting the original gastronomic roots.

“A journey to explore the most personal emotions via cuisine bursting with La Mancha produce, careful attention to detail, which perfectly represents the passing of time”
Octavio beats in unison with a mother and three siblings. Santiaga, Aurora, José and Belén dish up a culinary offering that helps diners explore their most personal emotions through cuisine bursting with La Mancha produce and careful attention to detail.

Palio's cuisine draws inspiration from international haute cuisine, featuring adaptations using local products in some instances.

Adolfo brings together and conveys the main essence of local Castilla-La Mancha products through his knowledge of game, pulses, and traditional sweets such as marzipan. The sea is also a major influence on Adolfo's cuisine.

Family-run restaurant with its own winery, showcasing two alternative cuisines. A modern take on traditional dishes, seeking new textures and flavours but without forgetting the culinary past, drawing on local products and resources.

A passion for cuisine and an experienced team led by Chef Jesús Hernández have created Tierra’s menu. This offers a journey exploring traditional local dishes with dashes of modernity based on a quest for local identity with the finest seasonal products, which change frequently.

Traditional La Mancha recipes, tweaked to modern tastes, where Chef Jose Manuel Gallego and his team bring out the best local produce has to offer.
Slow-cooked stews and broths, with close attention to detail and a respect for local products, seeking to bring out the finest flavours through hard work in the kitchen.

Las Llaves is far more than just a restaurant. It’s a culinary haven, with a strong tradition of excellent food and an innovative experience for the taste buds. A gastronomic adventure taking us to the Ramírez de Arellano Palace (16th century) in Marchamalo (Guadalajara). An intimate place bursting with a unique history and tradition, a special spot that Philip II visited 400 years ago.

"Chef Víctor Sánchez Beato is back with his new culinary mission"
Víctor Sánchez Beato offers diners traditional flavours, with a subtle twist in terms of techniques, presentation, and modernity. His delicious, honest cuisine draws heavily on local produce.