The Fire Whisperer of Basque Country
Victor Arguinzoniz
Asador Etxebarri, Spain
#2 World's 50 Best Restaurants 2024 & 20251 Michelin StarSelf-taught master of fire cookingDesigned and built all his custom grills
Signature Dish:Flame-Grilled Red Prawns from Palamós — cooked 1 minute per side over holm oak embers, plus smoked milk ice cream and grilled baby eels (Tasting Menu €280)
"Fire is my only tool. I let the product speak — the wood, the ember, and the ingredient tell the story together."
— Victor Arguinzoniz
Biography
Victor Arguinzoniz, known locally as Bittor, was born in 1960 in Axpe, a small village in the Basque Country where fire was essential for daily life. A self-taught chef who worked in a flag factory and construction, he purchased an 18th-century stone manor house in 1989 and opened Asador Etxebarri in 1990. Through decades of trial and error, he developed an unmatched mastery of fire cooking, designing custom grills and selecting specific woods for each ingredient. His restaurant has risen to become the #2 in the world.
Culinary Philosophy
Elemental fire cuisine — grilling everything from caviar to ice cream over custom-built grills