Miguel Carretero

Chef at Santerra* (Madrid, Spain)

Carretero's approach is based on the understanding that "a humble product, well made, can be something incredible", something he learned from his mother and aunt's cooking.

Although he began a vocational training course in industrial automation, Miguel soon realised that this was not his path. He moved from Madrid, where he had moved from Pedro Muñoz (Ciudad Real) to study, to Toledo. At the age of 21, he enrolled at the Escuela de Hostelería and the kitchen won him over.

His two mentors were Iván Cerdeño and Manolo de la Osa. He joined de la Osa's project, Adunia, as head chef, but the restaurant closed after a few weeks and the chef from La Mancha started his own project.

He opened Santerra in 2017 in the heart of Madrid's Salamanca district, with a cuisine based on produce and technique, focusing on seasonality and interpreting dishes with a traditional soul and contemporary character. Currently, the Santerra Group consists of Santerra, La Barra (the classic Madrid bar) and Neotaberna (an informal and modern tavern option).

He obtained the Michelin star in 2024 and he was the winner of the "Best Croquette of the World" award at Madrid Fusión in 2018 and confirmed the title of "The champion croquette of champions" at Madrid Fusión in 2022.