The Revelation Chef award for Masta Taberna confirms the shift towards a more popular gastronomy

A modest space, a short menu, and a flavor palette rooted in traditional cuisine, but without a hint of purist nostalgia. Their example demonstrates that "you don't need huge investments; you can do a lot with a little; the most important thing is to put your heart into it," as they aptly put it upon receiving the award, sending a powerful message to the thousands of hospitality students who were crowding the halls of the world's most influential gastronomic summit. The other message is that you don't always need a haute cuisine tasting menu to achieve recognition.

Gari, from San Sebastián, and Javier, from Navarre, met while working at Canalla Bistrot, under Ricard Camarena, who won the same Revelation award almost two decades ago. After working in various restaurants in Madrid, they decided to embark on a venture together in this former pintxo bar in Zarautz, seeking a more human-scale project. Masta has a humble appearance that almost deceives diners. The checkered tablecloths, textured walls, and traditional decor are the antithesis of the refined aesthetic that prevails in haute cuisine. They serve to frame a cuisine with deep roots and time-honored flavors, but with a distinctly contemporary freshness of ideas.

At their restaurant, there are no pintxos, nor kokotxas al pilpil, hake in green sauce, or steak. And that's a risky decision in a town like Zarautz. "We saw that there was a gap between one thing and another," they explain. Using stocks and stews patiently prepared, they create new recipes: they transform the classic txangurro a la donostiarra into an Extremaduran repápalo, dress grilled red mullet with a simple zurrukutuna, or brush a heart of lettuce with steak fat. Eight or ten dishes each day, changing daily, with which diners can, if they wish, create a tasting menu tailored to their taste at a very reasonable price.

Great sommelier and good manager

Despite its neighborhood bar feel, the wine list gives them away. An impressive collection of unusual selections and labels from small, undiscovered winemakers, curated by Judit Ayago, "the third pillar of the business and the one who really helped us get going," Javi and Gari acknowledge. Like them, she has a background in wine bars in the capital, offering impeccable and genuine service, perfectly in tune with the spirit of the project. Her knack for recommendations is one of the biggest draws of this eatery that champions diner freedom. "A great sommelier and a good manager, something fundamental in the hospitality industry," her colleagues say of her.

For José Carlos Capel, president of Madrid Fusión and responsible for scouring the country for candidates for the award—nine this year, “more than ever”—Masta's triumph is symptomatic of a new era in Spanish gastronomy. “We've moved from a highly technical, very sophisticated cuisine to a more accessible and relaxed style of cooking, one that touches the soul and distances itself from lengthy menus and elitist discourse.” Just missing out on the award were Mauro Rivas, Armand Vidal, and Clara Campoamor, from the Sol Post restaurant in Formentera, while third place was shared by Terra, in Cullera, and Morvedra Nou, in Menorca.

Although Madrid Fusión initially focused solely on awarding the Revelation Chef, in recent years it has expanded its awards to include best service, pastry, sustainability, and best stand at the congress. Among the winners are baker and pastry chef Miguel Yeste, from the Madrid pastry shop Obrar; Raúl Sánchez Aguirre, from Tramo, for best sustainable project; and Adrián Fernández, head waiter at Lera, in Castroverde de Campos. “This is an award for all waiters, who are improving significantly in this country and understanding that the customer is the most important element in restaurants,” said Fernández, echoing this year's theme, which aims to return the spotlight in gastronomy to those who pay the bill.