Victor Arguinzoniz

Victor Arguinzoniz, born in 1960 in Axpe, Atxondo, Vizcaya in Spain's Basque Country, worked as a lumberjack and in other fields before acquiring a 200-year-old building in 1989 and opening Asador Etxebarri in 1990 as a traditional Basque asador. Self-taught in cooking, he revolutionized grilling by designing custom grills, using specific woods like holm oak for fish and olive for meat, and applying the technique to innovative ingredients such as eggs, caviar, and desserts. Under his leadership, Asador Etxebarri earned one Michelin star, three Repsol Suns, the National Gastronomy Award for Best Head Chef from the Spanish Academy of Gastronomy, No.3 ranking on The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2021, and the Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award 2021.