JOAN ROCA
Chef & Co-founder of El Celler de Can Roca
Few chefs have shaped modern gastronomy with the same quiet consistency and depth as Joan Roca. From his origins in a modest family restaurant on the outskirts of Girona to building one of the most influential restaurants in the world alongside his brothers, Roca represents a form of culinary evolution rooted not in disruption, but in continuity, discipline, and care.
At El Celler de Can Roca, gastronomy becomes a language of memory and precision where technique, emotion, and territory converge in a constantly evolving dialogue. Forty years after its beginnings, the restaurant stands not as a static institution, but as a living ecosystem shaped by family, place, and time.
The Best Chef: Joan, did you ever imagine El Celler de Can Roca would become what it is today?
Joan Roca: No, no, no. Our origin is very humble. We were born and raised in this same neighbourhood where we are now. It is a working-class neighbourhood on the outskirts of Girona. Here we were born, here we grew up. We made our dream come true with El Celler de Can Roca. We never imagined that it would achieve the recognition it has today. At all. It’s a beautiful story, built over time, with the fortune that three brothers understand each other well and have worked together for so long. Now, forty years later, when we look back, it seems incredible. It hasn’t been an easy road, but we never imagined this level of recognition and awards.
The Best Chef: Looking back over forty years, what have been the biggest challenges?
Joan Roca: The most important challenge has been change. The different stages of growth of the company itself. The first major renovation was in 1986, when opening a gourmet restaurant was almost an act of recklessness. Then in 1997 we made another important renovation, when we began to gain visibility. In 2007 we moved here, just a short distance away, but into a completely different reality: a larger space, a kitchen without limitations, a place where we could really develop our ideas. And of course, the incorporation of Jordi into the team in 1997–1998. That triangle between the three of us is essential to what El Celler is today.
The Best Chef: How important is it for you to remain a family business in a world of global restaurant groups?
Joan Roca: We are a family business. That idea is essential. We believe in maintaining our economic ecosystem in Girona, in our city, with projects that grow around the same environment. There is Rocambolesc, Casa Cacao, our boutique hotel and chocolate factory, and our parents’ restaurant. These are all small business models that belong to the same ecosystem, rooted in the place where we were born. It’s a way of staying coherent, of growing, but staying here.
The Best Chef: In today’s unstable global context, is being local the answer?
Joan Roca: Yes. The idea is to be local. Everything we do is based in Girona. There is only one exception, which is the Macallan project. But otherwise, everything is here. It allows us to participate directly, to control, to serve, and to remain connected to what we are doing. It’s also a way of understanding life in gastronomy: you don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be where you live, and where you can do things properly.
The Best Chef: What gives you confidence in the next generation?
Joan Roca: We are very lucky. There is a new generation, including my son and my nephew, working in the kitchen with us. They give continuity to the project. I see them committed, enthusiastic, and capable. I think they can even be better than us. They are very well trained and very motivated. I see a strong future for El Celler de Can Roca.
The Best Chef: What do you think the future of fine dining will look like?
Joan Roca: Fine dining has a future. There have been moments when it was questioned, especially in times of crisis, but it remains relevant. The restaurant will continue to be a place of haven, a space of culture, tradition, and care. Human contact will be more important than ever. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, restaurants will become places where people reconnect with each other and with culture.
The Best Chef: Chefs have become public figures. How do you see that evolution?
Joan Roca: It’s true that when I started, there were no cameras, no spotlight. Today it is the opposite. We need balance. Chefs are not the most important people in society, but food connects many disciplines: science, health, culture, agriculture, anthropology. That is why it has gained visibility. But with that visibility comes responsibility. What we do, what we cook, what we communicate. It all matters more than before.
The Best Chef: When did you realize El Celler had become more than a restaurant?
Joan Roca: In 2009, when we received one of the highest recognitions in our profession. The whole city of Girona came to celebrate. Hundreds of people gathered and applauded us for ten minutes. That’s when you realize the restaurant is no longer just a restaurant. It becomes something shared by a community. A success that belongs not only to us, but to the whole city and region.
The Best Chef: Why do you think The Best Chef Awards are important?
Joan Roca: Because they give visibility to chefs. That perspective didn’t really exist before. There is so much talent in the world, and it is important to recognize it. Not only restaurants, but the people behind them. It is a way of giving value to creativity and effort across the profession.
The Best Chef: Who, in your view, is The Best Chef?
Joan Roca: For me, the best chef is my mother. She is the person who inspired me to cook. But today, I think it is not about finding “The Best Chef”. It is about identifying those with influence. Those who can inspire others. What matters is commitment, honesty, and the ability to influence positively. Cooking today is about responsibility, identity, and care.
Restaurant Instagram: El Celler de Can Roca
Restaurant Address: El Celler de Can Roca Carrer de Can Sunyer, 48, 17007 Girona, Spain
