Antonio Hernando
Head chef of Alabaster in Madrid since its 2014 opening, and the kitchen behind one of the city's long-running power-lunch tables.
- Repsol Soles
1- Restaurants
- 1
Antonio Hernando, born in Madrid, has run the kitchen at Alabaster, the Grupo Amicalia flagship near Madrid's Retiro park, since it opened in 2014. His cooking moved from an early, clearly Galician focus under executive chef Iván Domínguez toward a more personal, seasonal-product-led haute cuisine after Domínguez left in 2018.
Biography
Early years
Born in Madrid, Antonio Hernando trained in restaurant management at the IES Hotel-Escuela before working across various hotels and restaurants.
Career
He became head chef at Piñera for a year, then joined Alabaster when it opened in 2014. In its early years he cooked in a clearly Galician register alongside executive chef Iván Domínguez; after Domínguez's departure in 2018, Hernando moved the kitchen toward a more personal, seasonal-product-driven style of haute cuisine.
Philosophy
Hernando cooks alta cocina burguesa: produce-led haute cuisine built on classic technique, without pyrotechnics or showy experiments. Since 2018 the menu has balanced Alabaster's Galician roots with dishes like braised leek and Iberian pork jowl, fabes with clams, and brined mushrooms with cuttlefish, alongside longer-running dishes such as merluza de pincho with lemon pil pil.
Restaurants
Antonio Hernando in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Antonio Hernando’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·Repsol Sol, Alabaster
Frequently asked
Who is the head chef at Alabaster in Madrid?
Antonio Hernando has led Alabaster's kitchen since the restaurant opened in 2014.
What cuisine does Alabaster serve?
Alabaster serves Galician-rooted, product-driven Spanish cuisine and holds a Repsol Sol; the style became more personal after chef Antonio Hernando took full charge in 2018.
Where is Alabaster located?
Alabaster is at Calle de Montalbán 9, in Madrid's Jerónimos neighbourhood near Retiro.
What is Antonio Hernando's cooking style?
Alta cocina burguesa: produce-led, classically built haute cuisine, favoring confident execution of seasonal ingredients over experimental technique.
Did Alabaster's cuisine change over the years?
Yes. In its early years the kitchen leaned heavily on Galician tradition under executive chef Iván Domínguez; after Domínguez left in 2018, Antonio Hernando moved the menu toward a more personal, seasonal-product-driven style.
Where did Antonio Hernando train?
He trained in restaurant management at Madrid's IES Hotel-Escuela, then worked across several hotels and restaurants before becoming head chef at Piñera and later joining Alabaster.