Nico Bejarano
Colombian chef with Michelin-starred experience behind Dispatch, an American-food spot in Madrid's Chamberí neighbourhood, run with partner Nani Iribarren.
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Nico Bejarano is the Colombian chef behind Dispatch, an American-food restaurant in Madrid's Chamberí/Almagro area that he opened in late 2024 with Venezuelan front-of-house partner Nani Iribarren. He trained in some of Spain's best-known kitchens, including elBulli, Arzak, Mugaritz and Martín Berasategui's restaurants, and spent years cooking under Paco Roncero at the two-Michelin-starred Casino de Madrid before turning to comfort food. Dispatch is known for its pastrami sandwich and shared the 2025 Premios Metrópoli award for best restaurant under 40 euros.
From @Nico Bejarano on Instagram
Biography
Career
Bejarano, who is Colombian, has lived in Spain for more than 20 years and trained across some of the country's best-known kitchens, including elBulli, Arzak, Mugaritz and the restaurants of Martín Berasategui, before spending years cooking under Paco Roncero at the two-Michelin-starred Casino de Madrid. He also cooked aboard Celebrity Cruises ships carrying up to 3,000 passengers, where he refined the pastrami recipe that would later define Dispatch. He opened Dispatch in Madrid's Chamberí neighbourhood in late 2024 together with his partner Nani Iribarren, who is Venezuelan and runs the dining room. In 2025 Dispatch shared the Premios Metrópoli award for best restaurant under 40 euros.
Philosophy
Dispatch runs on a deliberately short menu of about five dishes, roughly 98% made in-house: pastrami sandwiches served two ways (classic with mustard, or Reuben-style with Hörnkäse cheese and fermented sauerkraut), burgers made with Galician beef, buttermilk fried chicken, and homemade desserts that include bean-to-bar chocolate and ice cream. Bejarano uses veal chuck rather than brisket for the pastrami, for the extra fat marbling it holds through the curing and smoking process. He's described the goal as "everyday food people want to eat" rather than fine dining.
Restaurants
On Guidavera
1Nico Bejarano in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Nico Bejarano’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·Premios Metrópoli, best restaurant under €40 (shared), Dispatch (2025)
Frequently asked
Who is the chef at Dispatch in Madrid?
Nico Bejarano, a Colombian chef with Michelin-starred kitchen experience, who runs Dispatch with his partner Nani Iribarren.
What does Dispatch serve?
American 'fast good' cooking: burgers, pastrami sandwiches, fried chicken and homemade desserts, almost entirely made in-house.
Where is Dispatch located?
On Calle de Viriato, 17, in Madrid's Almagro/Chamberí area.
Where did Nico Bejarano train before opening Dispatch?
In some of Spain's best-known kitchens, including elBulli, Arzak, Mugaritz and Martín Berasategui's restaurants, plus years under Paco Roncero at the two-Michelin-starred Casino de Madrid.
When did Dispatch open?
Nico Bejarano and Nani Iribarren opened it in Madrid's Chamberí neighbourhood in late 2024.
Has Dispatch won any awards?
It shared the Premios Metrópoli award for best restaurant under 40 euros in 2025.
Where did Dispatch's pastrami recipe come from?
Nico Bejarano developed it while cooking aboard Celebrity Cruises ships, using veal chuck instead of brisket for extra fat marbling.