This may come as a surprise to many, but it is something that is becoming commonplace in the world of haute cuisine. A Michelin-starred chef who decides to change direction to develop a less sophisticated and more accessible cuisine.
It happened to Dani García in his day, and now it’s Luis Valls’ turn. Until now, he was head chef at El Poblet restaurant in Valencia, and from now on he will be in charge of the kitchen at Àtic in Palau Alameda.
After earning two Michelin stars for the restaurant managed by Quique Dacosta’s group in Valencia, the Valencian chef left the restaurant last January. His departure led to a change in the kitchen: Carolina Álvarez joined the management team and the restaurant was renamed “Flores Raras.”
Valls’ cuisine at Àtic Alameda
Today, Valls’ destination is known: the kitchen of the Palau Alameda gastronomic project, where he will share space with the group’s other brands, such as Azza and the panoramic terrace facing the Turia Gardens.
In a video posted on social media, Valls has given some hints as to what his cuisine will be like: approachable, using market produce, as demonstrated by the matured beef steak he prepares in the video.
A challenge in which he will combine gastronomy and leisure. It remains to be seen whether the restaurant will be a candidate in the coming years to regain some of the distinctions that Valls obtained in the past, such as the two Repsol Suns that he also treasured at El Poblet.