Santiago Pedraza
Grill chef and co-founder of Taberna Pedraza in Madrid, the Salamanca-neighborhood tavern he runs with his wife, chef Carmen Carro.
- Repsol Soles
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Santiago Pedraza co-founded Taberna Pedraza in Madrid's Salamanca neighborhood in 2014 together with his wife, chef Carmen Carro. He runs the restaurant's grill (sourcing meat and wild fish and cooking it over coals) while Carmen leads the kitchen and its traditional Spanish dishes, including a widely tracked tortilla de Betanzos and a cocido madrileño. Taberna Pedraza holds one Repsol Sol, a Michelin Guide recommendation, and has been named among the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants.
Biography
Early years
Before opening Taberna Pedraza, Santiago Pedraza worked as marketing director for Turismo de Madrid, the city's tourism board. He had no professional culinary background, but cooking had long been a shared passion with his wife, chef Carmen Carro.
Career
Santiago co-founded Taberna Pedraza with his wife, chef Carmen Carro, on Calle Ibiza in Madrid on April 10, 2014. The restaurant moved to a bigger space on the same street about a year later, then to its current home on Calle de Recoletos in the Salamanca neighborhood in 2019. He runs the restaurant's grill, buying meats and wild fish and cooking them over coals, while Carmen leads the kitchen. In August 2022, Santiago and Carmen traveled to Chicago, a trip coordinated with the Spanish Tourism Office in Los Angeles, and taught chef Grant Achatz of Alinea to make leche frita after he saw Dabiz Muñoz prepare it. Taberna Pedraza has been named among the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants and holds a Repsol Sol and a Michelin Guide recommendation.
Philosophy
Santiago's approach centers on the product: sourcing quality meats and wild fish and drawing out flavor, aroma, and texture through traditional grilling technique, in keeping with the restaurant's broader focus on Spanish culinary tradition.
Restaurants
Accolades
- ·World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants (Taberna Pedraza)
- ·Premio Metrópoli 2014 (Taberna Pedraza)
- ·Premio Millesimé 2015, Best Gastronomic Concept (Taberna Pedraza)
- ·1 Sol Repsol (Taberna Pedraza)
- ·Michelin Guide recommended (Taberna Pedraza)
Frequently asked
What is Santiago Pedraza's role at Taberna Pedraza?
He co-founded the restaurant with his wife, chef Carmen Carro, in 2014 and runs its grill, cooking meats and wild fish over coals, while Carmen leads the kitchen.
Does Santiago Pedraza have a Michelin star?
No. Taberna Pedraza carries a Michelin Guide recommendation and one Repsol Sol, but no Michelin star.
Where is Taberna Pedraza located?
In Madrid's Salamanca neighborhood, at Calle de Recoletos, 4. The restaurant opened on Calle Ibiza in 2014 before moving to Recoletos in 2019.
What is Taberna Pedraza known for?
Its grilled meats and wild fish, plus a tortilla de Betanzos tracked by a running counter since the restaurant opened in 2014, and a well-regarded cocido madrileño.
What did Santiago Pedraza do before becoming a chef?
He worked as marketing director for Turismo de Madrid, the city's tourism board, before co-founding Taberna Pedraza with his wife, Carmen Carro, in 2014.
Did Santiago Pedraza teach a Chicago chef to cook a Spanish dish?
Yes. In August 2022 he and Carmen Carro visited Grant Achatz's restaurant Alinea in Chicago and taught him to make leche frita, after he saw Dabiz Muñoz prepare it.