Portrait of Barry Smit
i. Biography
Barry Smit works the kitchen at Platero & Co with the kind of economy that comes from knowing the room, the team, and the brief. In Gaucín, Spain, the cooking leans on restraint and clarity rather than ornament, with Barry Smit shaping the menu’s tone through balance, control, and a measured sense of place. As Executive Chef, he is responsible for the restaurant’s culinary voice, where comfort and precision need to sit side by side.
Coming Up
Today, Barry is Executive Chef of Platero & Co, and that role places him at the center of the restaurant’s daily operation. For Barry Smit, the work is not only about running a kitchen but about setting the line the food follows, so the menu holds together as a whole. At Platero & Co in Gaucín, Spain, his cooking reads as composed and deliberate, built around balance rather than excess.
Where They Are Now
He serves as Executive Chef at Platero & Co in Gaucín, Spain. For Barry Smit, the title carries both authority and responsibility: the kitchen depends on that leadership, but the plate still has to land with precision. His work there is grounded in that tension, where the demands of service and the expectations of guests meet a cooking style that favors thoughtfulness over display.
Career - Executive Chef — Platero & Co, Gaucín, Spain
Signature
Barry's signature dishes include smoked ajoblanco with Payoyo cheese and olives and anchovies. The dish shows Barry Smit working with contrast in a direct, practical way: smoke against softness, richness against brine, familiarity against edge. The smoked ajoblanco gives the plate depth and a cooler base; Payoyo cheese brings weight and character; olives and anchovies sharpen the finish. It is a composition built on balance, with each element doing a clear job.
FAQ What is Barry Smit's current role? Barry Smit is Executive Chef at Platero & Co in Gaucín, Spain.
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