Restaurante Lasarte's Team

A consolidated team commited to excellence

Martín Berasategui has assembled a dream team, firmly established and dedicated, with Paolo Casagrande leading the kitchen; Joan Carles Ibáñez as the restaurant manager; Antonio Coelho as maître; and Xavi Donnay in charge of desserts and pastries.

Polo Casagrande, the Chef of Emotions

Paolo Casagrande – Head Chef at Restaurante Lasarte – was born in Susegana (Treviso, Italy), close to the sea, which today provides him with some of the finest ingredients for his cooking.

He is an elegant and serene chef, blending these qualities with a self-demand that motivates his team.

He trained at the Alfredo Beltrame Hospitality School in Vittorio (Veneto) and refined his culinary skills in renowned fine dining establishments in Milan, London, and Paris, under celebrated chefs such as Alain Solivérès.

In 2003, he joined Martín Berasategui’s team at Restaurante Martín Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria. Paolo’s exceptional work ethic, dedication, and meticulousness quickly impressed Martín Berasategui, who appointed him to lead his first restaurant in Tenerife, the acclaimed M.B. at the Ritz-Carlton Abama, in 2005.

In 2012, Martín chose Paolo Casagrande as Head Chef at Restaurante Lasarte in Barcelona. Just four years after Paolo’s arrival, in 2017, the restaurant earned its third Michelin star.

These three stars have celebrated Paolo Casagrande’s career, characterised by his commitment, consistency, effort, and passion for cooking.

Joan Carles Ibáñez, the Director of Harmonies

Joan Carles Ibáñez is one of the foremost figures in sommelier and restaurant management in Spain.

He spent over 20 years at Racó de Can Fabes with Santi Santamaría, the first restaurant in Catalonia to achieve three Michelin stars. Since 2011, he has been in charge of the restaurant management at Lasarte, where he secured the coveted three stars again in 2017.

Joan Carles’ career has been recognised with numerous accolades, including the National Gastronomy Award for Restaurant Management and Sommelier (1996) from the Spanish Academy of Gastronomy and the Confraternity of Good Table, the National Gastronomy Award for Head of Service (2018) from the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy and Nutrition, and the Michelin Guide Award for Best Service (2023).

The wine cellar he manages alongside maître Antonio Coelho features over 800 wine references from renowned and emerging national regions, as well as international selections.

Xavi Donnay, the Sweet Attention to Detail

Xavi Donnay has been in charge of the pastry section at Restaurante Lasarte since 2010. When the restaurant received its third Michelin star in 2016, Donnay became the first pastry chef in Barcelona to earn such an honour.

In 2020, he was named Best Pastry Chef in the World at The Best Chef Awards.

Xavi Donnay’s pastry work is rooted in tradition but is also modern and evolved, always approached with respect for the product.

“Working with Martín Berasategui and his extensive team, I have recognised many fundamental values instilled in me from a young age. These are values I apply in my daily life, such as respect, humility, and generosity… This has made me feel I am in the right place and has helped me grow.

From Martín, I have also learned other crucial values, including commitment, teamwork, effort, precision, courage, competitiveness, perseverance, creativity…”