Macarena de Castro
Port of Alcudia
Jardin Restaurant

Michelin Star Restaurant In Mallorca

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Biography

Her initial choice of study was Fine Arts, but shortly thereafter she focused in on the art of cooking. In 1996 her parents, along with older brother Dani, opened their first restaurant, Jardín, in the north of Mallorca.

Macarena joined the family business in 2000. Since then time she has combined her work and training in the cooking and catering industry: studying at the University of the Illes Balears (UIB) in 2001-2002 and from then on mastering the ropes with eight chefs who together have been awarded a total of 14 Michelin stars * see the list below *

With these Chefs she learned not only how to cook but also how to manage a kitchen as well as a restaurant, and the whole process of event organization.

She was only 18 when she joined the family business, Jardin Restaurant, and began working as a kitchen helper. After taking over as pastry chef, and then mastering fish, she was made head chef at 23. Today, Macarena de Castro is considered an expert in the application of new techniques to Mediterranean products on her native island, Mallorca. In 2011, Jardin Restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star.

Macarena never stops learning. Every year, when the restaurant closes for two months she goes off to learn about another country via its culinary culture.  The last destination in 2011 was Thailand.

She has previously spent sojourns in Kingston, Jamaica working for the Spanish Embassy there, in France, learning all about foie, and in New York discovering the avant-garde cooking secrets from chef Dufresne, the pioneer of nouvelle cuisine in the U.S.A. Moreover, Macarena continues to participate in key annual cooking events in the Basque Country and Catalonia.

At Jardín, where the team now consists of 32 people, Macarena and her brother Dani also manage the newly opened Bistro of Jardin which is located on the ground floor of the gourmet restaurant, the fully comprehensive Catering Service, and Danny's fast food joint – all make up Grupo Jardín - and are located in the same block, 50 meters from the beach of Puerto Alcudia and 45 km from the island capital, Palma de Mallorca.

List of Restaurants with Michelin Stars in which Macarena de Castro has worked:
Arbelaitz Hilario. Restaurant Soule (Basque Country). October 2003 - May 2004. 2 * Michelin
Andoni Luis Aduriz. Mugaritz restaurant (Basque Country). October 2004 - April 2005. 1 * Michelin
Willy Dufresne. Wd-50 Restaurant (New York, USA). December 2005 and January 2006. 1 * Michelin
Manolo de la Osa. Restaurant Las Rejas (Castilla La Mancha). January-February 2007. 1 * Michelin
Jean Coussoe. Relaix de la Poste (Maguesco, Landes, France). January-February 2008. 2 * Michelin
Andoni Luis Aduriz. Mugaritz restaurant (Basque Country). January 15 to February 15, 2009. 2 * Michelin
Juan Mari and Elena Arzak. Restaurant Arzak (Basque Country). 15 February-15 March 2009. 3 * Michelin
Ferran Adrià. Restaurante El Bulli (Catalonia). 06/04/2003 intensive courses and 09. 3 * Michelin