Enrique Pérez

Chef at El Doncel* (Sigüenza, Guadalajara, Spain)

Enrique Pérez heads up the kitchen of the Michelin-starred El Doncel restaurant in Sigüenza, while brother Eduardo manages the floor.

Born in Madrid in 1974, Enrique Pérez studied cookery at the Teruel Higher School of Catering and Tourism. His in-service years featured Zalacaín (Madrid) under Benjamín Urdiain, and Rodero (Pamplona), with Koldo Rodero. In 1997, when he completed his studies as top of his class, he began teaching at the school, where he stayed for four years.

In 2001 he took over the family business in Sigüenza with his brother Eduardo, and introduced a new gastronomic philosophy featuring the best local produce. In 2002 the restaurant floor and the kitchen underwent refurbishment, and El Doncel took a quantum leap in terms of quality. Tenacity and hard work at the restaurant won acclaim from both critics and diners, and Michelin confirmed this with a star in 2017.