The Star of Alicante's Gastronomy Fades: José Manuel Varó Passes Away at 85

On Monday, Alicante's culinary scene lost one of its icons, the father of modern Alicante cuisine and the recipient of the first Michelin stars awarded in the city: José Manuel Varó, who passed away at the age of 85, as confirmed by sources from Restaurante Maestral, where José Manuel was the heart and soul.

The ceremony will take place this Tuesday at 10:15 am at the Tanatorio La Siempreviva in Alicante.

Varó is regarded as the transformative figure of Alicante's gastronomy, introducing the concepts of French 'Nouvelle Cuisine' to the province. The French guide acknowledged his talent by awarding the first modern Michelin Stars to an Alicante establishment, many years after the initial ones were given to Elordi in the 1920s.

José Manuel Varó began his professional journey at the age of 14 and never left the kitchen. It was at El Delfín restaurant where his successful career began to take shape, turning it into the temple of Alicante gastronomy. He managed to position this Explanada restaurant on the national culinary map. However, El Delfín closed for renovations for two years, during which Varó went to Grenoble to learn the secrets of Nouvelle Cuisine from none other than Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest chefs in history and a true culinary legend.

Upon his return in 1977, he earned a Michelin Star for El Delfín, the most iconic restaurant in Alicante at the time, now gone, located on the Explanada de España. It was the first Star achieved in the province.

After selling El Delfín, Varó opened El Maestral on Virgen del Remedio street. A small venue with just enough room for twelve tables quickly found success, prompting an expansion to a chalet in Vistahermosa. Together with his colleagues Jesús Muñoz and Paco Ramón, they inaugurated the definitive Maestral, where he earned his second Michelin Star. Varó thus reached the status of a master of gastronomy, receiving unanimous recognition from his peers and accolades such as the Maionnave Award from the University of Alicante, among others.

Rest in peace.