Murcia tourism brings celebrity chef Juan Guillamón to culinary promotion in Dublin

Juan Guillamón is the chef and owner of Almo restaurant in Murcia.
He earned one Michelin star for Almo in 2022, which the restaurant has retained.
His career has included work at Arzak, Calima and six seasons with the Ferrari F1 team.
Guillamón has acted as personal chef to the British ambassador in Spain.
He promotes the gastronomy of Murcia through seasonal Mediterranean cuisine with international influences.

Cookery demonstration by Juan Guillamon Michelin Star chef from Almo Restaurant in Murcia in Dublin pictured with Laura Pena director Spanish tourist board in Dublin & Monica Meroño from Murcia Tourism

Laura Pena, director Spanish tourist board in Dublin and Monica Meroño from Murcia Tourism hosted Spanish celebrity chef Juan Guillamon at an event in the Picado Meican Pantry in Dublin to promote the culinary tourism of the region.

The gastronomy of Murcia celebrates the abundant produce of its fertile huerta, often called Europe’s vegetable garden. Fresh vegetables such as artichokes, peppers, courgettes and tomatoes form the heart of many dishes. Rice from Calasparra features prominently in traditional recipes, while the region draws from both the sea and the mountains to create a balanced Mediterranean cuisine that combines garden vegetables, seafood from the Mar Menor and quality meats.

Signature dishes include zarangollo, a courgette-based sauté, michirones made with broad beans and meats, and pisto murciano, the local version of ratatouille. Rice preparations such as arroz al caldero and arroz con conejo remain popular. Sweet specialities like paparajotes, fried lemon leaves coated in batter and dusted with sugar and cinnamon, provide a distinctive finish to meals.

In recent years chefs have elevated Murcian gastronomy by blending traditional ingredients with contemporary techniques. Restaurants in the region, including 14 holding Michelin stars, highlight seasonal local produce and reinterpret classic flavours.

Juan Guillamón has established himself as a leading figure in Spanish gastronomy through his restaurant Almo in Murcia, which has held one Michelin star since 2022. He has developed a personal style that combines Mediterranean roots with international influences gathered during his extensive career. Guillamón has become a prominent advocate for the gastronomy of Murcia by showcasing local produce and traditional flavours in a contemporary context.

Guillamón began his professional career in the kitchen at the Natural History Museum in London. He trained at renowned restaurants including La Cabaña Buenavista in Murcia, Arzak in San Sebastián and Calima in Marbella. He has worked in kitchens across Spain, London and São Paulo. For six seasons he served as chef for the Ferrari Formula 1 team and has also acted as personal chef to the British ambassador in Spain.

In April 2019 Guillamón opened his personal project, initially named AlmaMater and later renamed Almo, in the historic centre of Murcia. The restaurant focuses on seasonal market cuisine with creative touches. He has received recognition as a finalist in the Madrid Fusión Revelation Chef competition, two Repsol soles, and has maintained the Michelin star for Almo.

Juan Guillamón shared “The most important ingredient in every dish is passion. I investigate flavour. I cook what I am. Almo is where my vision lives.”

Ratatouille, Egg and Tuna Empanadillas

These are crispy fried Spanish pastries filled with a homemade ratatouille of onion, green and red peppers, courgette and tomato, mixed with chopped hard-boiled eggs and tuna. The filling is enclosed in dough wafers, sealed and deep-fried until golden and crunchy. They serve as a popular appetiser or tapas dish.

The filling combines ratatouille made with onion, peppers, courgette and tomato with chopped hard-boiled eggs and tuna.
Dough wafers are filled, folded and sealed before deep frying until golden and crispy.
The ratatouille is simmered until thick and then cooled before mixing with the other ingredients.
Empanadillas are fried in batches in hot vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes per side.
The recipe serves 4-5 people and requires 45 minutes of preparation.

Paparajotes

Paparajotes are a traditional Murcian dessert made by coating fresh lemon leaves in a light batter flavoured with lemon and orange zest, then deep-frying them until crisp. Once fried, they are sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon while still hot. The lemon leaf is not eaten; it is used only to flavour the batter.

Lemon leaves are washed, dried and dipped in a batter made with eggs, milk, flour, baking powder and citrus zests.
The battered leaves are deep-fried until golden on both sides.
Hot paparajotes are coated in a mixture of sugar and powdered cinnamon.
The dish uses 12 lemon leaves and serves 4 people.
Preparation time is 20 minutes.

Marineras

Marineras are a classic Murcian appetiser consisting of small crispy fried wonton dough tarts filled with Russian salad made from potatoes, eggs, tuna, pickles and mayonnaise. Each tart is topped with a single anchovy in brine, creating a simple yet flavourful bite-sized starter.

Potatoes and eggs are boiled, peeled and grated, then mixed with tuna, pickles and mayonnaise to make Russian salad.
Wonton dough is fried into small tart shapes.
The Russian salad is piped into the crispy tarts and topped with anchovies in brine.
The recipe serves 4 people and takes 15 minutes of preparation.
The salad mixture is left to settle before assembling.

Murcian Salad

Contemporary Murcian salad features a smooth cream made from marinated plum tomatoes and spring onion, topped with a tartar of smoked eel seasoned with fresh oregano and a sherry vinegar vinaigrette. The dish is finished with garnishes including mini croutons, pickled red onion, cured yolk, Cuquillo olives, EVOO pearls and a purple flower for an elegant presentation.

A cream base is made from canned plum tomatoes and spring onion marinated for 12 hours then blended with EVOO.
A tartar is prepared with smoked eel, fresh oregano and a vinaigrette of EVOO, Kabayaki sauce and sherry vinegar.
The dish is plated with the tartar covered by the tomato cream and garnished with croutons, pickled onion, cured yolk, olives, EVOO pearls and oregano.
Purple flowers are used as a final garnish.
The recipe serves 4 people and takes 30 minutes of active preparation.