Mikel Goikolea
Executive chef and co-owner of Goicolea, a Basque-French restaurant near Plaza de Colón, trained at three-Michelin-star Azurmendi.
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Mikel Goikolea is the executive chef and co-owner of Goicolea, a Basque-French restaurant on Calle de Génova near Plaza de Colón in Madrid's Chamberí district, and a listing in the Michelin Guide España. He trained as jefe de cocina at the three-Michelin-star Azurmendi before opening the restaurant with his aunt, restaurateur Cristina Goicolea, who has more than 40 years in the industry. Esteban Martinez, who also trained at Azurmendi, works alongside him as head chef.
Biography
Career
Goikolea trained as jefe de cocina (head chef) at Azurmendi, the three-Michelin-star restaurant in Larrabetzu. He opened Goicolea in Madrid with his aunt, Cristina Goicolea, a Basque restaurateur with more than 40 years in the industry who previously ran Restaurante El Refor in Álava, worked with Club Allard, and runs Goicolea Import, a business bringing in French products including foie gras. The restaurant sits on Calle de Génova near Plaza de Colón in Chamberí, its dining rooms staged with work by Bilbao artist Ignacio Goitia. Goikolea is executive chef and co-owner; Esteban Martinez, who also trained at Azurmendi, works alongside him as head chef. Goicolea is listed in the Michelin Guide España.
Philosophy
Press describes his cooking as built on respect for the product and a constant pursuit of technical precision: clean preparations, well-worked stocks and clear flavors, reinterpreting traditional Spanish and Basque dishes without distorting their essence. Wild red tuna is a signature on a menu that joins Basque roots to French technique.
Restaurants
On Guidavera
1Mikel Goikolea in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Mikel Goikolea’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·Listed in the Michelin Guide España
Frequently asked
Who is the executive chef at Goicolea?
Mikel Goikolea, trained in the kitchens of three-Michelin-star Azurmendi in Larrabetzu, is executive chef and co-owner of Goicolea in Madrid's Chamberí district.
Who else runs Goicolea alongside Mikel Goikolea?
His aunt, restaurateur Cristina Goicolea, co-owns the restaurant, and Esteban Martínez, who also trained at Azurmendi, works alongside him as head chef.
Where is Goicolea located?
Near Plaza de Colón in Madrid's Chamberí district, on Calle de Génova, in dining rooms staged with work by Bilbao artist Ignacio Goitia, alongside French-influenced Basque cooking.
Did Mikel Goikolea train at a Michelin-starred restaurant?
Yes, he trained as jefe de cocina (head chef) at Azurmendi, a three-Michelin-star restaurant in Larrabetzu, before opening Goicolea in Madrid with his aunt.
Who is Cristina Goicolea?
Cristina Goicolea is Mikel Goikolea's aunt and Goicolea's co-owner, a Basque restaurateur with more than 40 years in the industry who previously ran Restaurante El Refor in Álava.
Is Goicolea listed in the Michelin Guide?
Yes, Goicolea appears in the Michelin Guide España, which notes its Basque-French cuisine and dining rooms staged by Bilbao artist Ignacio Goitia near Plaza de Colón.
Who is the head chef under Mikel Goikolea?
Esteban Martínez, who also trained at three-Michelin-star Azurmendi, works as head chef alongside executive chef and co-owner Mikel Goikolea in Madrid.