El Celler De Can Roca -
The middle brother is the world’s most famous sommelier. Josep doesn't just pair wine with food; he pairs emotion . He has transformed the wine list at into a theatrical performance. The cellar holds over 60,000 bottles, but Josep’s genius lies in his "moving pairings"—where he changes the glass three or four times during a single dish to match the evolution of flavors. He also famously pairs wines with perfumes, creating a synesthetic experience where you smell jasmine and taste a Riesling.
The evolution was slow but relentless. The first Michelin star arrived in 1995, the second in 2002, and the third in 2009. In 2007, they moved to their current purpose-built space—a stunning architectural masterpiece of glass, steel, and stone designed by RCR Arquitectes (co-founded by Jordi Roca’s wife, Anna Payet). The building looks like a futuristic transparent box nestled in a lush garden, a metaphor for the restaurant itself: modern science rooted in natural earth.
has spawned cookbooks that are textbooks of modern gastronomy ( The New Catalan Cuisine , The Celler de Can Roca Cookbook ). They have also led a highly successful tour, "Giraffe 2016," where they packed up their entire kitchen and traveled across the US, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru, cooking for thousands. El Celler De Can Roca
The youngest brother is the "Willy Wonka of desserts." Jordi joined the team later, but his influence is seismic. He suffers from dyspraxia (a motor coordination disorder), which forced him to think differently about textures and forms. He cannot pipe a perfect rosette, so he creates desserts that are smoked, frozen, or turned into foam. His most famous creation is the "World’s Best Dessert" (according to several polls): El Postre de l’Any (The Dessert of the Year) which changes annually. One iteration was a "Forrest Gump box of chocolates" that included a truffle that smelled like an old library. Another was a "Nero" dessert served with an edible black fan and a scent of incense.
The youngest of the trio, Jordi, is the Pastry Chef. His journey is one of the most inspiring in the culinary world. Diagnosed with asthma as a child, he found solace in the kitchen. Today, he is celebrated as one of the most creative pastry chefs on the planet, operating his own side venture, Rocambolesc , a whimsical ice cream shop that brings high-concept desserts to the streets. The middle brother is the world’s most famous sommelier
Ninety percent of the ingredients are sourced from Catalonia and the Costa Brava. They work with local foragers, fishermen who deliver daily catches, and farmers who grow heirloom varieties of peas and tomatoes. The restaurant even has its own garden, L'Hort de Can Roca , where they grow over 200 varieties of herbs, flowers, and vegetables.
In the rolling hills of Girona, Spain, just an hour north of Barcelona, lies a culinary landmark that has redefined the boundaries of gastronomy. is not merely a restaurant; it is a pilgrimage site for chefs, a laboratory of dreams, and a three-Michelin-starred beacon that has been crowned "The World's Best Restaurant" twice (2013 and 2015) by Restaurant magazine. The cellar holds over 60,000 bottles, but Josep’s
Jordi’s desserts are theatrical and playful. He is famous for his "Perfume" desserts, where he captures the scent of famous fragrances (like Calvin Klein’s Eternity or Lancôme’s Poême) and translates them into edible form. He provides the punctuation mark at the end of the Roca sentence—a finale of sweetness, humor, and technical brilliance.