Pablo López Ibarra
Former publicist turned chef, running Brutalista in Madrid's Argüelles since April 2022, known for reviving escabeches his grandfather loved.
- Restaurants
- 1
Pablo López Ibarra, from Madrid's Chamberí neighbourhood, trained as a publicist before moving into professional kitchens in 2008. He worked at La Tasquita de Enfrente, trained in game cookery with Luis Alberto Lera at Mesón del Labrador in Castroverde de Campos, and cooked at Nakeima, Kena de Luis Arévalo and Tripea alongside Roberto Martínez before opening Brutalista in Argüelles in April 2022. The restaurant's escabeches, an idea he traces to his grandfather, run from oreja, lengua and papada to rabo de toro and a leek version, alongside its confited-then-fried quail, the flagship dish since opening.
Biography
Early years
López Ibarra is from Madrid's Chamberí neighbourhood and trained as a publicist before moving into professional kitchens in 2008.
Career
He worked as a waiter at La Tasquita de Enfrente, then trained in game cookery with Luis Alberto Lera at Mesón del Labrador in Castroverde de Campos, where he found that escabeche could be a far broader technique than he'd assumed. He went on to cook at Nakeima, Kena de Luis Arévalo and Tripea, working alongside Roberto Martínez, before opening Brutalista in Madrid's Argüelles neighbourhood in April 2022.
Philosophy
López Ibarra's focus on escabeches traces back to his grandfather, who loved them. He says preservation techniques have been part of Spanish cooking since the beginning, and treats char as a flavor in its own right, adding nuance to the product. Brutalista's escabeches run from oreja, lengua and papada to rabo de toro and a leek version that appears in nearly every order, alongside the confited-then-fried quail that's been the restaurant's flagship dish since it opened.
Restaurants
Frequently asked
Who is the chef at Brutalista in Madrid?
Pablo López Ibarra, a former publicist who trained in game cuisine with Luis Alberto Lera and worked at Nakeima, Kena de Luis Arévalo and Tripea before opening Brutalista.
What is Brutalista known for?
Escabeches, pickled and marinated dishes, including a confited-then-fried quail that's been the restaurant's flagship dish since it opened.
Where did Pablo López Ibarra work before opening his own restaurant?
He started as a waiter at La Tasquita de Enfrente, trained in game cookery with Luis Alberto Lera in Castroverde de Campos, and later worked at Nakeima, Kena de Luis Arévalo and Tripea.
When did Pablo López Ibarra start cooking?
He moved from a career in advertising into professional kitchens in 2008.
What inspired Pablo López Ibarra's focus on escabeches?
His grandfather, who loved escabeches; López Ibarra later found the technique could be far broader than he'd assumed while training with Luis Alberto Lera.
When did Brutalista open?
In April 2022, in Madrid's Argüelles neighbourhood, near Plaza de España.
Does Brutalista have a printed menu?
No. Staff explain each dish verbatim based on that day's market availability, and chef Pablo López Ibarra often takes orders in person.