Nieves Barragán Mohacho
Nieves Barragán Mohacho
A figurehead for Spanish food in the UK, Nieves Barragán Mohacho has won Michelin stars at multiple restaurants since moving to London from the Basque Country in 1998. At her lauded restaurant Sabor, she showcases the breadth of Spanish cuisine through simple but perfectly executed dishes.
As is the case for so many chefs, Nieves Barragán Mohacho cites her mother as being an early source of inspiration in the kitchen. Growing up in the Basque city of Bilbao, she speaks of flavour-packed breakfasts, lunches and dinners being served at home, which she’d watch her mother prepare and assist with, as well as trips to local markets to pick out ingredients. This fueled Nieves’ complete love and fascination with Spain’s produce – something that’s still at the core of her cookery today – and ultimately drove her in the direction of the professional kitchen.
Having briefly flirted with the idea of becoming a graphic designer, Nieves moved to London in her early twenties, unable to speak any English, and took a position at Nico Ladenis’ Simply Nico. Wowed by all the different produce available in the UK and buoyed by working with chefs from all over the world, she gradually began learning the ins and outs of the profession, honing her cookery skills as she went whilst also learning the language. Her next move was to take on the role of sous chef at the Hart brothers’ first restaurant Fino (she went on to become head chef). When the brothers decided to open a brand-new tapas concept, called Barrafina, Nieves proved the obvious choice for executive chef.
Over the course of her ten years at Barrafina, she oversaw the opening of two more sites, won a Michelin star at the original Dean Street restaurant and fast became the talk of industry, having well and truly put Spanish food at the forefront of London’s culinary scene. By 2017, it was time for Nieves to open her own restaurant – one which put Spanish produce and regional specialities at the forefront. The result was Sabor, which won her a Michelin star just a year after opening and continues to offer some of the finest Spanish food in the capital today. With three distinct menus covering different areas of the restaurant, Nieves expertly captures the huge scope of Spanish cookery at Sabor, showcasing everything from traditional tapas dishes to Basque seafood and family-style sharing dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven. It’s a true testament to her unwavering passion for the cuisine and immense talent in the kitchen.
What do you love the most about working in a professional kitchen?
For me, it's all about the discipline but I mean that in a good way. In the kitchen everyone has the same shared goal, the same deadline every single day. Regardless of what goes on in the background or during prep, every day at twelve the restaurant opens and we have to deliver. When everyone is on the same level and shares the same mentality, it's incredibly enjoyable to see it all come together.
Which chef has been the biggest inspiration to you?
It's impossible to narrow it down to just one. I've been lucky enough to work with so many incredible chefs throughout my career, whether that's in the kitchen, travelling or at events. Someone who really stands out is Michel Roux Jr, who I travelled to Norway with a few years ago. I'm just inspired by the way he is and the impact he's had on food in the UK. But then there's also people like Angela Hartnett, Mark Hix, Marco Pierre-White; at the point I first moved here, it was so impressive to see the wider influence that these kinds of chefs were having.
How would you describe your style of food?
The best way to put it is that I just cook food that I would like to eat. I try to get the very best ingredients I can find and then I keep things simple, as that's what I was taught by my mother as a child. Sabor means 'flavour' and that's because there's nothing more important about a dish than how tasty it is.
What ingredient couldn't you live without?
I think it would have to be garlic. I use it in pretty much every single dish on the menu, whether that's confit, roasted or raw - there are just so many different ways you can use it.
Have you got a favourite cookbook?
The first cookbook I bought when I came the UK was Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson, so that one holds a special place in my heart. I used to read it a lot and identified with everything he was saying, as the whole concept of using every part of the animal is something I grew up very aware of in Spain.
What's the most memorable meal you've ever eaten?
Mexico is one of my favourite food destinations in the world and one of the times I was there, we visited this small town called Malinalco about an hour outside of Mexico City. While we were there, we had goat barbacoa, where they literally buried it in the earth the traditional way and slow-cooked it. The next day, we had it served with these chickpeas that it had been cooked with and ate it overlooking the mountains. It was unbelievable.
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