i. Biography
The Path
The Jefe de cocina role at Casa Cámara calls for control over a coastal Basque register: fish, shellfish, vegetables and oil handled without excess. In that position, Alberto Salinas keeps the cooking tied to the Basque table, the working pace of the coast and the ingredients available in season. The measure of the work is not display; it is whether the product remains legible after the kitchen has done its part.
The Work Today
Traditional Basque cooking at Casa Cámara is built around shellfish and fish, with sourcing treated as part of the technique rather than an afterthought. Under Alberto Salinas, the kitchen works from seasonal produce, quality as a first filter, and local supply when possible: the Pasaia fish market, nearby vegetables, Navarra vegetables and Navarrese oil. The cooking depends on proximity and timing — what lands at market, what the garden is giving, and what the day’s materials can carry. The menu reads through established coastal forms, each one asking for a different handling of richness, salt, gelatin and heat. Foie gras mi-cuit holds cool fat and structure; salted Cantabrian anchovies bring a sharper marine line. Pastel de cabrarroca concentrates rockfish savor, fish soup works through warmth and depth, salpicón keeps shellfish in a bright briny frame, and txangurro donostiarra keeps crab within a Basque classic. The range between comfort and precision is where the kitchen shows its discipline. Piquillo peppers stuffed with squid in ink set pepper sweetness against the darker concentration of the sea. Hake kokotxas, served pil-pil or in green sauce with fine Galician clams, depend on gelatin, emulsion and timing as much as seasoning. Sole meunière extends the repertoire beyond the strictly local while staying inside a fish-and-sauce discipline. The work is not revision for its own sake; it is clear execution of inherited forms in present tense.
Signature
Helado artesano al armagnac is the named signature associated with Alberto Salinas. In a house language defined largely by the sea, the dish shifts register at the end of the meal: artisanal ice cream carrying the aromatic depth of armagnac, kept within the restaurant’s broader preference for restraint and clean finish.
Acclaim
The 1 Sol Repsol awarded to Casa Cámara in 2025 marks formal recognition for the restaurant’s current work. Under Alberto Salinas, that work is grounded in Traditional Basque foundations, careful sourcing, and a kitchen practice centered on shellfish, fish and the coastal table.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Alberto
What is Alberto Salinas's current role?
Alberto Salinas is Chef at Casa Cámara.
What recognition has Alberto Salinas received?
1 Sol Repsol for Casa Cámara (2025).
What is Alberto Salinas known for?
Traditional Basque cooking with a specialization in shellfish and fish.
