Paula Gutiérrez from Víctor Gutiérrez* will compete in Chef Balfegó 2024

Paula Gutiérrez, from the Restaurant Víctor Gutiérrez* (Salamanca), is the only Spanish female representative to compete in CHEF BALFEGÓ 2024.

She has a Higher Level Certificate in Cooking and Hospitality from the Leioa School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (Bilbao). She embarked on her career in haute cuisine in 2018 at the restaurant Atelier Etxanobe* (Bilbao). After spending time training under Fernando Canales and Mikel Población, she worked alongside her father from 2019 to 2020 as a chef at the restaurant Víctor Gutiérrez* (Salamanca). However, in 2020, she decided to venture out of her comfort zone and traveled to the south of Spain to gain further experience as a chef at the restaurant Noor*** (Córdoba). From there, she took an international leap to become sous-chef at the Ambassador Hotel, working alongside chef Romain Fornell in Zermatt (Switzerland) between 2020 and 2021. Eager to return to Spain, she then worked as sous-chef at the restaurant Deesa** by Quique Dacosta***, at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz Hotel *****GL (Madrid), from 2022 to 2023. After this experience, she returned home, first as sous-chef at the restaurant Taller Arzuaga* located in Bodegas Arzuaga – Navarro (Quintanilla de Onésimo – Valladolid), before, finally, in 2024, joining once again the restaurant Víctor Gutiérrez* (Salamanca), this time as head chef, where she continues to work today.

Paula’s approach follows in the footsteps of her father’s cuisine, the only Peruvian chef with a Michelin Star in Spain, creating dishes with a Spanish soul and a Peruvian heart, fusing Peruvian ingredients with different flavors from around the world, including one of her great passions, game.

At the winery, Andrea, Paula’s younger sister and a trained sommelier, is responsible for managing and selecting the wines.

Together, the two sisters and their father form the core of this generational project united by this unique family business in the heart of Salamanca.

From an early age, Paula has seen her father work with Balfegó Red Tuna. For this edition of the competition, the young cook will present two very striking dishes.

Paula is motivated by being the only Spanish woman in this edition and is looking forward to the challenge and connecting with chefs specializing in other culinary styles. On October 28, she will compete with chefs from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and Benelux.