Abraham García

Abraham Garcia is an independent soul, no follower of fashion or culinary trends. Though on his own, things have gone well for him. He has earned the respect of his colleagues and the admiration of the general public because of his unique approach to his profession. The epicenter of his creativity was Viridiana, a restaurant located between the Prado Museum and the Retiro Park in Madrid, which closed its doors in December 2023, marking the end of an iconic era in Madrid gastronomy.

García is a self-taught chef but not exactly out of choice. He was born in 1950 in Robledillo, a village at the foot of the Toledo Mountains, in Castile-La Mancha. At the age of 13, he turned up in Madrid and soon found himself working in a kitchen. From his time at La Taberna de Jacobo, a traditional restaurant in the city center, he recalls conversations with the great filmmaker Luis Buñuel (author of Belle de Jour and That Obscure Object of Desire). His admiration for the Aragonese film director was made clear when he chose the name for his restaurant, Viridiana, one of Buñuel's most widely-acclaimed films. Inside, his customers dined surrounded by unorthodox decor, in line with the way he saw cooking—with reminders of Buñuel's films and plenty of personal memories of travels and experiences.

For more than four decades, Viridiana retained its position among the leaders of Madrid gastronomy. Abraham produced personal cuisine, based on tradition and on products but with a modernity that had nothing to do with minimalistic trends. The dishes on offer at Viridiana were flavorful, with varied aromas and surprising combinations. The menu followed the seasons and changed with market availability.

More than a cook

When asked to define his cuisine, Abraham gave an explanation that invited diners to try it: “Cuisine that is appealing to gourmet and shepherd alike, just a step away from tradition and offering wise innovations.” The basis was good products treated professionally. And what were the keys to his professionalism? "Technique, memory, and skill."

His dishes included imported products and even some culinary techniques from other latitudes, making him probably the first chef to make lentils with curry in the 80s in Spain, a recipe that became one of his signature dishes, inspiring chefs as Dabiz Muñoz who considers García his mentor and worked in Viridiana before opening his own restaurant, DiverXO.

Abraham García was also a special devotee of Spanish foods, with their traditions and personality. He liked to use black pudding from Trujillo (Extremadura), goats’ milk cheese from El Hierro (Canary Islands), Catalonian butifarra sausage, horse mackerel from the Bay of Biscay, jamón ibérico from Guijuelo (Castile and León) and other Ibérico pork products, game, and extra virgin olive oils.

Countryside bread, mushrooms, and subtropical fruits from Andalusia or the Canaries were other favorites of his, but he placed a special accent on extra virgin olive oil. "Spain is the country of olive oil par excellence," said this chef. His passion for this liquid gold led him to create an olive oil brand that bears his name, produced in the province of Córdoba (Andalusia). He carried out thorough control of the whole process, from cultivation of the olives to bottling, including the harvest and transport of the olives to the mill.

This chef's hyperactivity kept him busy outside the kitchen as well. A great lover of literature, he has made a name for himself as a prolific writer of recipe books, essays, and articles for the press. He enjoyed a special following among the general public because of his work on the digital press and radio programs. Unforgettable were the after-dinner conversations at Viridiana, that remained as a favorite occupation of chef Abraham García, whose legacy continues to inspire gastronomy lovers despite the closure of Viridiana.