Eneko Atxa
Basque chef with three Michelin stars at Azurmendi, now running two restaurants in Madrid.
- Michelin stars
4- Restaurants
- 4
- Born
- 1977 · Amorebieta-Etxano
Eneko Atxa is a Basque chef who holds three Michelin stars at Azurmendi, near Bilbao, and a further star at his restaurant Eneko in Larrabetzu. Born in Amorebieta-Etxano in 1977, he trained under chefs including Martín Berasategui before opening Azurmendi in 2005, and has since expanded to Madrid with both Eneko Basque Madrid and, in 2026, La Sociedad Gastronomika.
From @enekoatxa on Instagram
La perfección existe 🍽 Azurmendi 🌟🌟🌟 📍Bizkaia No te vamos a contar nada nuevo al decirte que @azurmendi_atxa es un templo de obligada visita de nuestro país, pero aún así, sabiendo lo que es, nos sorprendió a lo grande. El Gran Menú consta de: - Tartar de Betizu, mantequilla a la chimenea y caviar
Entre fogones, entre amigos. 20 años de Lasarte, 3 buenos amigos y 9 estrellas para iluminar una de las noches más especiales de nuestra historia. Gracias, @nachomanzano_casamarcial @enekoatxa , por compartir con nosotros vuestro talento y vuestro tiempo con tantísima generosidad. - Entre fogons,
Bada zerbait magikoa ozpinetan: denborak gauza xumea berezi bihurtzen du. #azurmendi #enekoatxa #verdura #huerta Hay algo mágico en los encurtidos: el tiempo transforma lo sencillo en algo singular. There’s something magical about pickles: time transforms the simple into something unique.
Biography
Early years
Born in Amorebieta-Etxano, in Spain's Basque Country, in 1977. He credits his mother and grandmother with sparking his early interest in cooking, and studied at the Escuela de Hostelería de Leioa.
Career
Eneko Atxa trained in the kitchens of chefs including Martín Berasategui, Mugaritz, and Etxebarri. In 2002 he was named Spain's champion in author's cuisine for young chefs, and in 2005 he opened his own restaurant, Azurmendi, near Bilbao. Michelin awarded Azurmendi its first star in 2007 and its third in 2012, making it, at the time, the only three-Michelin-star restaurant in Bizkaia, and Azurmendi added a Green Michelin Star in 2020. In 2016 Atxa created JAKI(N), an ideas hub at the restaurant, and in 2017 his second restaurant, Eneko, in Larrabetzu, earned its own Michelin star. He has since expanded internationally and now also runs Eneko Tokyo, Eneko Karuizawa, Eneko Basque Seville, Eneko Basque Bilbao and the concept Debokata. In Madrid he opened Eneko Basque Madrid, a grill-led restaurant inside the Radisson RED hotel, and in 2026 added La Sociedad Gastronomika, a tasting-menu restaurant built around the Basque gastronomic-society tradition, inside the Mercer Hotel Madrid, in the historic former headquarters of the Compañía Azucarera de España.
Philosophy
Builds his cooking around native Basque Country products and popular gastronomy, with sustainability and technique as central concepts. At Azurmendi he has built sustainability into the kitchen itself, tending a sapling grown from Gernika's tree at the entrance and running a seed bank of more than 400 varieties alongside hydroponic research. At Eneko Basque Madrid, the cooking updates Basque tradition with the grill, or parrilla, at its centre.
Restaurants
Elsewhere
3Accolades
- ·Three Michelin stars, Azurmendi (since 2012)
- ·One Michelin star, Eneko, Larrabetzu (since 2017)
- ·Green Michelin Star, Azurmendi (since 2020)
- ·World's Most Sustainable Restaurant, The World's 50 Best (2014, 2018)
Frequently asked
Who is Eneko Atxa?
Eneko Atxa is a Basque chef, born in Amorebieta-Etxano in 1977, who holds three Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant Azurmendi near Bilbao.
What is Eneko Basque Madrid?
It is Eneko Atxa's Basque-cuisine restaurant in Madrid, part of a group that also includes Azurmendi, Eneko in Larrabetzu, and restaurants abroad.
Where did Eneko Atxa train?
He studied at the Escuela de Hostelería de Leioa and worked in the kitchens of Martín Berasategui, Mugaritz and Etxebarri before opening Azurmendi.
Where is Eneko Basque Madrid located?
On Calle de Atocha in Madrid's Cortes neighbourhood, inside the Radisson RED hotel.
Does Eneko Atxa have other restaurants in Madrid?
Yes, in 2026 he opened La Sociedad Gastronomika inside the Mercer Hotel Madrid, alongside his existing restaurant Eneko Basque Madrid.
How many Michelin stars does Eneko Atxa hold?
Three at Azurmendi, held since 2012, and one at his restaurant Eneko in Larrabetzu, held since 2017; Eneko Basque Madrid doesn't carry a star.
What awards has Eneko Atxa won for sustainability?
Azurmendi was named World's Most Sustainable Restaurant by The World's 50 Best in 2014 and 2018, and holds a Green Michelin Star since 2020.