Begoña Rodrigo

The Climb

Service came first: Begoña Rodrigo started as a waitress, working nights while she studied, and that floor-level experience set the pace for everything that followed. The move into kitchens ran through a practical European route, kitchen assistant at Amsterdam Marriott Hotel in Países Bajos, then cook at Quoy in Amsterdam Marriott Hotel complex, Países Bajos, then cook at Hotel Karel V in Utrecht, Países Bajos. From there, the line continued upward through head chef posts at Aquarium in Londres, Reino Unido, and Mas Sedó in Reus, España. The decisive turn came when she was hired as chef at La Sucursal in Valencia, España. La Salita (since 2004), where the work is shaped by memory, technique, and a Mediterranean register that keeps one foot in tradition and the other in controlled risk.

Today

At La Salita (since 2005), Begoña Rodrigo builds plates as layered composition: sharp, saline, herbal, and precise. Tiara de Encurtidos y Salazones uses salted fish as tartare with pickled vegetables, regional tomatoes, and eggplant pesto, so the brine reads against acid and the pesto supplies the softer register. All i Pebre Blanco de Anguila takes the eel stew as reference point, using eel collagen with fresh almonds and lemon pickle; the dish stays close to the classic’s structural logic while shifting the texture and finish. Sobrasada Vegetal de Calabaza approaches the sausage form through pumpkin, salt, drying, shallots, pine nuts, and spices, showing how a familiar format can be rebuilt from plant matter without losing weight or intent.

Career - chef and owner, La Salita, Valencia, España (2005–present) - camarera (trabajando por las noches mientras estudiaba) - ayudante de cocina, Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, Países Bajos - cocinera, Quoy, Amsterdam Marriott Hotel complex, Países Bajos - cocinera, Hotel Karel V, Utrecht, Países Bajos - jefa de cocina, Aquarium, Londres, Reino Unido - jefa de cocina, Mas Sedó, Reus, España - contratada como chef, La Sucursal, Valencia, España

Signature

Begoña Rodrigo’s signature dish list includes tiara, a name that carries both ornament and structure. In the kitchen, that same idea translates into balance: careful assembly, clear edges, and a dish built to hold tension rather than hide it.

In Their Words “My kitchen is reflective and complex.”

Recognition

Begoña Rodrigo’s honors include Top Chef España, winner of the first edition (2013).

FAQ What is Begoña Rodrigo's current role? Begoña Rodrigo is Executive Chef and Owner. Where did Begoña Rodrigo work before? Earlier in her career, Begoña Rodrigo worked at Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, Quoy, and Hotel Karel V. What recognition has Begoña Rodrigo received? Top Chef España, winner of the first edition (2013).