Rafa Zafra
Sevillan chef-owner of Estimar and head of Amar at Hotel El Palace — former elBulli cook turned product-led seafood specialist.
- Michelin stars
1- Repsol Soles
3- Restaurants
- 4
- Born
- 1981 · Sevilla
Rafa Zafra is the Sevillan chef-owner of Estimar (Barcelona, 2 Repsol Soles) and chef of Amar Barcelona inside the five-star Hotel El Palace (1 Michelin star, 1 Repsol Sol). A former elBulli cook trained alongside the Adrià brothers, his cooking is product-first Mediterranean seafood served in formats that range from a no-frills El Born seafood bar to a luxury hotel dining room.
From @rafazafra_ on Instagram
🏨 Masia Tibidabo, el nou restaurant del @parctibidabo amb el xef @rafazafra_ al capdavant, obrirà el 5 de juny. 🧑🍳 "Seure, compartir i celebrar a taula, amb cuina catalana de temporada pensada per a petits i grans, amb Barcelona als peus.", comparteix el xef Rafa Zafra. ❤️ Masia Tibidabo posa el
🍽 Hay clientes que impresionan. Y luego está tu madre. Para @rafazafra_ cocinar para ella sigue siendo lo más importante. Porque antes que todo, está quién te enseñó a valorar la mesa. #LateXperience #RafaZafra #Madre #Gastronomía
De la idea al bocado. Madrid se encuentra con Canarias en Bikini Bar. El proceso detrás del nuevo amigo de @rafazafra_ , @safecruz (@gofiomadrid) con una propuesta que habla de origen y sabor. Disponible durante el mes de mayo.
Biography
Early years
Zafra was born in Sevilla in 1981 into a hospitality family — his relatives ran the historic Posada de Alcalá. He studied at the Heliopolis School of Catering in Sevilla and trained in starred kitchens including Arzak and Quique Dacosta before joining Ferran and Albert Adrià's group at Hacienda Benazuza, the elBulli summer project. The relationship with the Adrià brothers was a turning point in his career.
Career
After cooking at elBulli and Hacienda Benazuza, Zafra opened Estimar in Barcelona's El Born neighbourhood as a product-first seafood restaurant. The restaurant earned two Repsol Soles. In April 2022 he opened Amar Barcelona inside the five-star Hotel El Palace on Gran Via, championing what he calls 'the casualisation of luxury' — Mediterranean seafood served in a hotel dining room without the formality typically attached. Amar holds one Michelin star and one Repsol Sol. Zafra's wider group also runs Estimar Madrid, Madre Mía (Madrid), Mareantes (Sevilla), Casa Jondal (Ibiza), and Per Feina (Barcelona).
Philosophy
For Zafra, luxury is the product itself — turbot, prawns, sea urchins, oysters — treated with as few ingredients as possible. His cooking strips away technique in service of the raw material, anchored in seafood and Mediterranean tradition.
Restaurants
On Guidavera
2Elsewhere
2Accolades
- ·1 active Michelin star at Amar Barcelona
- ·3 Repsol Soles across Barcelona venues (2 at Estimar, 1 at Amar)
- ·Former cook at elBulli / Hacienda Benazuza
Frequently asked
How many Michelin stars does Rafa Zafra have?
One — at Amar Barcelona inside the Hotel El Palace, which also holds one Repsol Sol. His Born seafood restaurant Estimar holds two Repsol Soles.
Where can I eat Rafa Zafra's cuisine in Barcelona?
Two restaurants. Amar Barcelona on Gran Via, inside the Hotel El Palace, is the one-Michelin-star dining room. Estimar in El Born is the product-first seafood project where the kitchen built its reputation.
What was Rafa Zafra's relationship to elBulli?
Zafra cooked with Ferran and Albert Adrià at Hacienda Benazuza, the brothers' Andalusian project, and at elBulli itself — the formative relationship he credits as the turning point in his career.