Josep Maria Rodriguez Guerola

Says his vocation for pastry making influenced his entire existence and his enthusiasm for learning. A curiosity for the sweet art that captured the creativity of Guerola when he was still a child and led him, in 2011, to the highest place on the podium of the World Cup of Pastry Making. A result which he obtained after years of study, leading him to travel at length to the workshops of the greatest pastry-chefs and chocolate masters in Spain, such as Oriol Balaguer or at pastry-shop Foix de Sarrià in Barcelona or even Paco Torreblanca’s Pasteleria Totel(Relais Dessert).

It was then the turn of Paris, with a 9-month internship at Fauchon and as many as 5 years, until 2001, at Dolç, the pastry-shop Yann Duytsche, for years the right arm of Fréderic Bau (creative director at the Ecole du Grand Chocolat Valrhona), opened in Sant Cugat del Vallés, north of Barcelona. In 2012 came a new important step in Guerola’s career: the opening of Pastisseria Barcelona. A goal or a new challenge, depending on the point of view, for a pastry-chef who is used to competition, especially with himself, and had already been awarded as best chocolate master in Spain in 2008 and with the gold medal at the French Open in Paris in 2010.

Guerola recently wrote "Sweetology", published by Montagud, a summa of his best interpretations in pastry-making, also including 8 original recipes inspired by the work of great contemporary Spanish chefs: Eneko Atxa (Azurmendi), David Muñoz (Diverxo), Paco Pérez (Miramar), Francis Paniego (El Portal del Echaurren), Ángel León (Aponiente), Josean Alija (Nerua), Albert Adrià (Tickets) and Jordi Roca (El Celler de Can Roca).