Far from the bustle and bright lights of the big city, Ruscalleda works and creates in Sant Pol de Mar, where she was born in 1952; it’s a picturesque, upscale seaside town with an unusual mix of the quaint and the innovative. Ruscalleda and her husband Toni Balam have made their distinctive Relais Chateaux-affiliated dining venue, Restaurant Sant Pau, come alive. Surrounded by the sounds, smells and sights of the Mediterranean Sea, and with her own superb art collection on the walls, Restaurant Sant Pau has become a world-class establishment.
Dining at this 36-table restaurant, which is situated on the seafront in an 1881 townhouse with a lovely herbal and floral garden, is an event suitable for a truly special celebration. This is an extraordinary place, and starting with Ruscalleda’s hand-drawn, water-colour menus and moving through her amazing meals from beginning to end, one senses the breadth of her creativity.
Tell me about your Michelin Star status.
In 1989, my husband Toni and I had a humble seaside bar specialising in organically-grown vegetables and fruits and local gastronomic fare, long before it had become fashionable in Spain. People raved. The first Michelin inspectors came in 1991, and Restaurant Sant Pau received its first Michelin. In 2000, we renovated the restaurant, expanded the wine cellar and hired more staff. That was followed by the second Michelin star. Little by little, we climbed the ladder and made the necessary improvements for an ever-growing business. In November 2005, we received the phone call while on holiday—Restaurant Sant Pau was awarded its third Michelin star. To date, we have 36 tables and 35 employees.
You have said that you present your dishes as if they were contemporary paintings.
I love to draw and paint in watercolours, and am an enthusiast of Catalan painters like Reira Arago, Miró and Tàpies to name a few; they are very inspirational for culinary artists. The yellow and Mediterranean blue exterior of my restaurant resembles Frida Kahlo’s indigenous Mexican flowers. I draw and paint a total of over 60 lunch and 60 dinner menus a year and 12 monthly cheese menus.
Latest Comments