Juanen Benavent
Valencia-born chef-owner of Saó in Vallcarca — Catalan seasonal cooking through French technique, with a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Bib Gourmand
1- Restaurants
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Juanen Benavent is the Valencia-born chef-owner of Saó, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in Vallcarca i els Penitents. His cooking applies French technique — absorbed across four years at Goust in Paris — to seasonal Catalan product, served through three tasting menus.
Biography
Early years
Born in Valencia, Benavent's career took him outside Spain early — four years at the restaurant Goust in Paris (associated with sommelier Enrico Bernardo, named the world's best sommelier) shaped the French foundation that runs through his cooking today. He also overlapped with Xavi Pellicer at Racó de Can Fabes — a reference point he still cites.
Career
Benavent opened Saó on Carrer de Cesare Cantú in the Vallcarca i els Penitents neighbourhood after deciding the city centre would be too crowded to fight through. The restaurant is named after the Catalan and Valencian word saó — the point of maturity or perfection something reaches in its development. Saó carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand and is built around three tasting menus: Llavor, Germinat, and Arrels. The lunch menu is often cited as one of the lowest-priced high-end menus in Barcelona.
Philosophy
Benavent's cooking is rooted in seasonal Catalan product treated through French technique — a deliberate balance between the cuisine he grew up around and the kitchens he trained in. Signature dishes include a savoury Crema Catalana with aubergine and caramelised foie gras.
Restaurants
On Guidavera
1Accolades
- ·Michelin Bib Gourmand at Saó
- ·Trained four years at Goust (Paris)
- ·Worked alongside Xavi Pellicer at Racó de Can Fabes
Frequently asked
Does Juanen Benavent have a Michelin star?
No — Saó carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Where can I eat Juanen Benavent's cuisine in Barcelona?
Saó on Carrer de Cesare Cantú in Vallcarca i els Penitents, on the upper edge of Gràcia near the Ronda de Dalt. The format is three tasting menus: Llavor, Germinat, and Arrels.