In short: Jordi Cruz (ABaC, Barcelona, 3 Michelin stars since 2017) revives traditional Spanish salted products (mojama, bottarga, cod) and integrates them into avant-garde cuisine. Salted products as a connection between ancestral techniques and culinary future.
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Who is Jordi Cruz
Jordi Cruz Mas (Manresa, 1978) is the chef-owner of ABaC in Barcelona, a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars since 2017. At 24, he earned his first Michelin star (a record in Spain at the time). He is widely known to the public as a judge on MasterChef Spain since 2013.
ABaC is a benchmark for contemporary Catalan-Mediterranean cuisine with advanced techniques. Cruz has been a pioneer in reintroducing traditional Spanish products (including lesser-known salted items) to high cuisine.
His Philosophy on Salted Products
For Cruz, salted products are "Spain's first gastronomic storytelling." A product that tells a story: Phoenicians founding Cadiz for tuna mojama, Vikings trading salted cod, Catalan monks salting anchovies from the coast.
He works with small artisan producers and always highlights the specific origin on menus: "Mojama de Barbate," "Bottarga de mújol de Calasparra," "Anchoa de Santoña 12 meses."
Signature Dishes with Salted Products
"Olive Trompe l'oeil with mojama": an olive sphere (spherification technique) filled with oil and grated mojama. A unique bite.
"Bottarga over pasta cannelloni": traditional Catalan cannelloni + grated bottarga di muggine served on top. Catalan-Sardinian fusion.
"Bonito tartare with seaweed salt and mojama": raw Northern bonito + salt extracted from wakame seaweed + thin slices of tuna mojama. Concentrated sea flavor.
"Warm anchovy carpaccio with piparra and cured cheese": 00-grade anchovy warmed for 30s + pickled Basque piparra + cured sheep cheese. Inspired by Mugaritz but with his own twist.
His Techniques with Salted Products (transferable)
1. Grate dry salted products (mojama, bottarga, ham) directly onto the plate WHEN SERVING. NEVER before — heat evaporates aromas. A microplane is the key tool.
2. Partially hydrate: wrap mojama slices in a damp cloth 30 min before to prevent them from breaking when slicing thinly.
3. Combine with contrasting elements: mojama (intensely salty) + fresh pear (sweet-sour) = umami-sugar contrast.
4. Work cold: salted products are never cooked in Cruz's dishes. They provide complexity through contrast with hot elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Michelin stars does ABaC have?
How much does it cost to dine at ABaC?
Does Cruz cook daily at ABaC?
What salted products does he recommend buying for home?
Does Jordi Cruz publish recipes?
How to achieve an ABaC-like result with salted products?
To conclude
Jordi Cruz reminds us that salted products are an underutilized Spanish gastronomic heritage. A microplane + mojama from Barbate + any simple dish = instant restaurant-level upgrade. Premium salted products from the South are the raw material — you add the subtlety with the timing of application.
