Catalonia
Oriol Balaguer
Master chocolatier and owner of Oriol Balaguer (Barcelona, Spain)
One of Oriol Balaguer's earliest memories, from when he was six years old, is of his father creating artistic chocolate pieces.
He trained as a pastry chef, learnt his craft, and worked with Ferran Adrià at elBulli for seven years. He travelled all over the world, and in 2002 he opened the first chocolate and pastry studio in Barcelona, specialising in haute cuisine desserts.
He describes himself as an entrepreneurial pastry chef. But, first and foremost, he is a pastry chef. Within the walls of his studio, he cultivates his sensibility and creativity to produce annual collections of desserts that delight and surprise guests at his venues in Barcelona, Madrid and Girona.
Balaguer was named Best Spanish Artisan Pastry Chef in 1993, when he was just 21 years old, and Best Spanish Restaurant Pastry Chef in 1997. He was also named Best Pastry Chef in Catalonia in 2003, Professional of the Year in 2006, and Best Pastry Chef in Spain in 2008.
