En Andrés Madrigal, la comida no es igual que en cualquier otro sitio

Chef Andrés Madrigal has always been a restless soul. With the temperament of a born chef and the innate curiosity of a child, he continues to offer eclectic cuisine at Per Se Bistró, featuring original yet understated combinations. And since he seems to have a knack for blending flavors, he has no problem offering either a set menu or à la carte options. For the diner, that's true freedom.

At this point in the 21st century, it might seem unnecessary to talk about Andrés Madrigal, a chef who has been defined a thousand times and in many ways, but this writer has decided that, after the rivers of ink he has collected since he held his first Michelin Star in the early 90s at the El Olivo restaurant, Madrigal's career seems to be in top form judging by the dishes he serves in his bistro in the Chueca neighborhood called Per Se, which means "by himself" in Spanish.

Since bursting onto the culinary scene at the young age of 22, despite having studied electronics and photography, the Madrid-born chef enjoyed a meteoric rise for nearly two decades. He spearheaded the legendary Balzac, leading Madrid's culinary scene for eight years, and was also the chef at Alboroque, where he earned another Michelin star. During this period, he also achieved success with several successful books and hosted a weekly gastronomy segment on Cadena SER radio.

The personal odyssey of Andrés Madrigal

Some time later, Madrigal disappeared from the public eye, although many of us knew he had settled in Panama. In an interview with Cadena SER in 2022, Madrigal revealed the reasons for his departure. “I went to Panama because I felt frustrated and I even started to think that in Madrid I was missing out on more than I was gaining” he stated.

His travels outside of Spain took him to various parts of the Americas and Asia, places from which he returned wiser and more knowledgeable, if that's possible, about the secrets of cooking. Back in Madrid, he embarked on a career as a consultant and spent some time as the chef at the Mexican restaurant La Única until, in 2023, the Per Se Bistró project began to take shape.

Without a teacher's retirement, there would be no Per Se Bistro

Andrés Madrigal says he learned of Iñaki Camba's retirement, Camba being the owner of Arce with his wife, Maite Camarillo, through a tweet. Without hesitation, he inquired about the restaurant, and they quickly reached an agreement for the Madrid native to take over the space.

His many consultancies around the world involved a transfer of knowledge between consultant and client, and with the curiosity he always had, he absorbed knowledge (about ingredients, about techniques, about combinations...).

The agreement with Camba and Camarillo only accelerated his true return, not just in body, but in soul, to the city where he was born and where he could showcase his evolved cuisine after more than a decade of exile.

Andrés Madrigal doesn't impose rigid rules: at Per Se you can eat à la carte or from the set menu

It's not easy to find signature restaurants that combine both approaches. The convenience of a set menu for chefs sometimes clashes with the demands of a clientele that wants to sample specific dishes. Even so, Madrigal is surprised to see that most customers opt for the set menu.

It's possible that it has something to do with its foreign clientele, tourists who come to Per Se from nearby hotels. For example, the Only You on Barquillo Street.

They have no intention of removing any of the offerings. Although the local public hasn't yet flocked to Per Se, the steady stream of curious Spanish diners suggests that having a menu is not a bad idea at all.

The menu is always a good starting point for exploring unfamiliar cuisine. The à la carte menu is the ideal option when you want to enjoy dishes tailored to your taste and after you've sampled the chef's selection. When a local has been several times, it's essential that they have a choice.

If you don't know Andrés Madrigal, why should you go to Per Se?

And if you know him, why not?

Simply reading their tasting menus - one at 90 euros and another gourmet one at 120 euros - and their menu, short but precise, allows one to guess that the chef is committed to a carefully crafted contemporary cuisine that combines traditional ingredients with international techniques and flavors.

We also find Asian and Latin American influences in the words, with echoes of Europe and the Mediterranean. The imaginative use of vegetables is striking: there are dishes in which they are the absolute protagonists, not mere accompaniments.

The use of unusual ingredients brings flavor, contrast, and texture. Even a little knowledge of exotic ingredients will allow diners to sense a complex blend of flavors that makes perfect sense. Intuition doesn't lie, and behind some of Madrigal's signature dishes, one can discern a very personal reinterpretation of traditional recipes.

In short, Andrés Madrigal offers original cuisine, with unique dishes unlike anything else you can find in Madrid. As I said, you won't find the same food everywhere else.

And to finish, a dessert.

Per Se Bistro

Per Se Bistro

C/ Augusto Figueroa, 32, 28004 Madrid.