Spanish chef Aitor Zabala was born in Barcelona, where his mother and grandmother ran traditional pintxos restaurants and his father hosted a popular radio show dedicated to gastronomy. At 17, Zabala entered the army for mandatory service and was assigned to kitchen duty, preparing meals for 1,500 people each day. Watching the chefs in their starched jackets and toques, he found his calling.
Following military service, Zabala enrolled briefly at Escuela de Hostelería Hofmann, a hotel management school in Barcelona, before talking his way into an unpaid position at Akelarre, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant in San Sebastián. After three months, he was offered a paid role, and from there went on to cook at Barcelona’s acclaimed restaurants Àbac and Alkimia. By 27, he had risen to the role of chef de cuisine—but took a pay cut and demotion to work with Ferran Adrià at elBulli at the height of its influence in 2008.
“It was mind-blowing,” Zabala says. “Everything we made was small, fun, and provocative. I never thought food could be like that. It opened the metaverse for me.”
A chance encounter with José Andrés and Anthony Bourdain during the filming of No Reservations at elBulli proved life-changing. Andrés was so impressed by Zabala’s cooking that he invited him to the United States to help develop restaurants including The Bazaar and minibar in Washington, D.C., as well as locations in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Puerto Rico.
Zabala went on to serve as creative director for José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup for a decade. But it was Los Angeles—with its vibrant farmers’ markets and endless sunshine—that captured his imagination. In 2018, he opened Somni, a chef’s counter experience housed within The Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles.
Within a year, Somni earned two Michelin stars, a Forbes Five-Star rating, and recognition from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants as a “Discovery” selection. In 2020, The Best Chef Awards ranked Zabala No. 8 in the world, cementing his status as one of the most innovative chefs of his generation. However, the pandemic forced Somni to close.
In 2024, Zabala reopened Somni independently, continuing to serve a whimsical, modernist tasting menu that reflects his signature style and commitment to pushing the boundaries of gastronomy.
Style and Signature Dishes
Zabala is known for his playful use of trompe-l'œil techniques and expansive tasting menus that blend seasonal Southern California produce with standout Spanish ingredients such as turbot and txuleta steak.
“I like to play with textures, flavors, and plating,” he says. “But in the end, we keep the flavors recognizable, so that it gives people comfort.”
Even with more than 20 courses, Zabala’s menus surprise and delight through unexpected contrasts and inventive presentations. One enduring favorite from the original Somni is Cow and Her Milk, a whimsical cheese course featuring a cow-shaped cookie, Brillat-Savarin cheese, vanilla-compressed apples, and hazelnut. Another signature dish, the shiso tartare puff, combines a tempura-fried shiso leaf with tenderloin tartare and borage flowers.
Though Zabala incorporates molecular gastronomy techniques, his approach is rooted in flavor rather than novelty. “These foams have flavor,” as he’s fond of saying. Dishes like turbot, served across two courses utilizing different parts of the fish, reflect his thoughtful, ingredient-forward creativity.
