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Pepi Villada

Chef of La Estrella 1924 in El Born — the centenary Catalan restaurant she runs with her husband Jordi, famous for radical homemade ice creams.

Restaurants
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Pepi Villada is the chef of La Estrella 1924 in El Born, the small refined Catalan restaurant that opened in 1924 and that she runs with her husband Jordi. The restaurant carries a Repsol Recomendado distinction. Her homemade ice creams and sorbets — wasabi, goat's cheese, violet, cactus — are the kitchen's most-cited signature.

Biography

Early years

Villada trained in Catalan kitchens before taking over La Estrella with her husband Jordi.

Career

La Estrella opened on 17 April 1924 in Barcelona's El Born and was renovated in 1992. Pepi and her husband Jordi took over the restaurant and transformed it into an establishment that balances traditional and modern tastes — Pepi runs the kitchen while Jordi runs the dining room. The restaurant carries a Repsol Recomendado and is widely cited for Pepi's homemade ice creams and sorbets, which range across radical flavours including wasabi, goat's cheese, violet, and cactus.

Philosophy

Villada's cooking at La Estrella is built on simple, refined Catalan dishes prepared with seasonal ingredients. The ice cream programme is the restaurant's most-cited signature — an explicitly experimental register inside an otherwise classical dining room.

Accolades

  • ·Repsol Recomendado at La Estrella 1924
  • ·Continues the operation of a centenary Barcelona restaurant (since 1924)
  • ·Known for radical-flavour homemade ice creams

Frequently asked

Does Pepi Villada have a Michelin star?

No — La Estrella 1924 carries a Repsol Recomendado.

Where can I eat Pepi Villada's cuisine in Barcelona?

La Estrella 1924 in El Born, the small Catalan restaurant she runs with her husband Jordi. It opened on 17 April 1924 and was renovated in 1992. Pepi's homemade ice creams in radical flavours — wasabi, goat's cheese, violet, cactus — are a signature.

Last updated 2026-06-01. Published 2026-06-01.