Lucía Gutiérrez, fourth generation of chefs at the helm of Lur in Madrid

When you talk to Lucía Gutiérrez, the first thing you notice is her tenacity and clarity. Although she is only 22 years old, the maturity of her discourse is undeniable.

She represents the fourth generation of chefs in her family, a saga that began with her great-grandmother, Cándida. Lucía learned much of what she knows in the restaurant that her father ran throughout his career, the same space that now houses Lur.

Lur has only five tables and an eight-course menu. Lucía explains the space this way: “With the renovation we undertook, our goal was to create a space where people feel comfortable and relaxed; that’s why we only have five tables. Lur’s space is calm, open, welcoming, and warm. I think it’s important that places like this exist in Madrid.”

Her training includes the Casa de Campo Hospitality School, two years in Zuberoa with Hilario Arbelaitz, an experience that profoundly marked her, and a lot of self-learning driven by curiosity.

For her, the essential attributes of this profession are passion, perseverance, humility, effort, creativity, and patience. Regarding organization, she states: "Only through organization can I anticipate potential problems and, therefore, have the right solution."

The team consists of six people, with Pablo Jañez as their second-in-command. "We have a stable team, something that has required a lot of effort to achieve. It's strong, united, and eager to improve and evolve. They support me, share my passion, we help each other, and I know they'll be with me every step of the way," says Lucía.

Lur changes the menu every two months, which is more of a creative challenge than a chore, and allows customers to return knowing they'll try something different. Lucía says they're always looking to improve and that she gradually sets achievable goals for the team.

Eight dishes, five tables, and a menu that changes every two months.