The Staff Canteen’s San Sebastián 2026 tour itinerary
San Sebastián remains one of the world’s most influential culinary destinations — a city built on fire, flavour, community and an unwavering respect for product.
In March 2026, The Staff Canteen will take a group of leading UK chefs to the Basque Country for the inaugural European Chefs Tour, an educational journey created in partnership with Ashley Palmer-Watts and Amanda Afiya.
Over four days, the group will experience the restaurants and food cultures that have shaped modern Basque cooking — from high-energy pintxo bars to world-defining grill houses and two-Michelin-star refinement.
The tour focuses on learning rather than luxury, giving chefs a practical understanding of sourcing discipline, fire mastery, menu rhythm, and guest value.
This first edition intentionally charts a path from the grassroots of San Sebastián to its most progressive kitchens. It is designed to deepen knowledge, spark conversation, and share inspiration with the wider chef community.
Why These Restaurants? A Narrative from Tradition to Modern Innovation
The itinerary follows a deliberate arc:
pintxos → fire-led heritage → mid-tier Basque cooking → two-Michelin-star modern expression
This progression mirrors how the regional food culture itself developed — allowing chefs to see how values such as simplicity, authenticity and seasonality remain consistent at every level. From small bars to fine dining, Basque cooking is a study in clarity and confidence.
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DAY 1 — Pintxos: The Pulse of San Sebastián
The Old Town Route: Gandarias • La Cuchara de San Telmo • Txepetxa • Borda Berri • La Viña
San Sebastián’s pintxo culture is a masterclass in flavour, consistency and hospitality. The tour begins in the Parte Vieja (Old Town), where chefs will move through a curated sequence of benchmark bars, each chosen for its identity and signature dishes.
- Gandarias Jatetxea — traditional pintxos with exceptional consistency and guest flow.
- La Cuchara de San Telmo — chef-driven hot dishes from the plancha, built on deep Basque flavour.
- Bar Txepetxa — a world reference for anchovy-led specialisation.
- Borda Berri — bold stews, slow-cooked textures, and a cult following.
- La Vina — home of the iconic Basque cheesecake, now a global phenomenon.
For the chefs, the evening is an exploration into pricing logic, turnover, flavour clarity and the power of a single signature dish — all core principles of Basque hospitality.
DAY 2 — Elkano: Fire, Precision and World-Class Seafood
Elkano, Getaria — One Michelin Star
Few restaurants have influenced modern cooking like Elkano. Known globally for whole turbot grilled over embers, it represents purity, product understanding and exacting fire control.
The group will experience a sequence of signature dishes — including kokotxas in several textures, Joxepa’s fish soup, seasonal seafood and the emblematic turbot.
Key learning themes include:
- fire as a precise tool rather than spectacle
- communicating regional identity through seafood
- building a menu around restraint rather than complexity
- elevating product without overshadowing it
Elkano’s philosophy remains one of the most important contributions to European gastronomy, and its influence reaches far beyond Getaria.
DAY 2 (Evening) — Egosari: Basque Cooking from Paulo Airaudo’s Group
Egosari, Old Town — Owned by Paulo Airaudo
Part of the same restaurant group as Amelia, Egosari is owned by Paulo Airaudo, offering a modern yet deeply rooted take on traditional Basque cooking.
The menu centres on familiar Basque plates — roasted monkfish, Iberian pork cheek, traditional flan and Basque cheesecake — all executed with the discipline and sourcing philosophy that defines Paulo’s kitchens.
This stop grounds the tour in the mid-tier offering that locals rely on daily: approachable, honest dishes where craft and ingredient-led cooking are essential. It provides invaluable insight into how “value” is created through technique, not embellishment.
DAY 3 — Casa Julián: The Legendary Temple of Txuleta
Casa Julián de Tolosa
Founded in 1951, Casa Julián has become synonymous with Basque grilling. Its iconic txuleta (aged beef rib) cooked over embers is now one of the region’s most defining culinary symbols.
The experience — from charcuterie and roasted peppers to the signature beef rib — showcases how a restaurant can achieve international recognition with extreme focus and consistency.
Chefs will explore themes such as:
- ageing and sourcing philosophy
- heat mapping and fire mastery
- menu simplicity as a brand identity
- sustaining heritage in a modern dining landscape
Casa Julián demonstrates that when a single idea is perfected, it can shape an entire region’s food reputation.
DAY 3 (Evening) — Amelia: Two Michelin Stars & the Future of Basque Dining
Amelia by Paulo Airaudo, Hotel Maria Cristina — Two Michelin Stars
The final dinner takes place at Amelia, Paulo Airaudo’s two-star flagship now housed within the Hotel Maria Cristina. The tasting menu offers a modern interpretation of Basque gastronomy, influenced by global ideas yet rooted in local produce.
For chefs, the experience highlights:
- menu choreography and pacing
- modern service flow
- layering complexity without losing clarity
- the emotional and narrative dimension of tasting menus
As owner of both Amelia and Egosari, Paulo’s presence frames the beginning and end of the itinerary — symbolising San Sebastián’s balance of heritage and innovation.
Paulo shared his thoughts on the tour, saying: “San Sebastián is a special place because chefs, producers and guests all contribute to its energy.
“The European Chefs Tour reflects that same spirit of community. I look forward to hosting the group and sharing how we think about flavour, service and the future of dining.”
What Chefs Will Take Home
The European Chefs Tour is designed to give chefs a deep, practical understanding of Basque cooking — from the fundamentals to the cutting edge.
Key takeaways include:
- mastery of fire as a technique
- understanding flavour through product, not embellishment
- menu rhythm from pintxo to fine dining
- how perceived value is built
- the role of regional identity in creative evolution
Sponsor partners
Supporting the inaugural European Chefs Tour are four leading industry partners whose expertise spans production, equipment, design, and sustainability.
- Mitch Mitchell, founder and managing director of TRUEfoods, the Yorkshire-based producer renowned for its premium stocks and sauces crafted for the world’s top kitchens.
- Michael Eyre, culinary director at Jestic Foodservice Solutions, a company that represents some of the most respected international foodservice equipment brands and champions innovation in professional kitchens.
- Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK, specialists in commercial warewashing systems and long-time supporters of chef education and hospitality excellence.
- Gareth Sefton, managing director of SHW Design Ltd, an award-winning consultancy known for creating exceptional restaurant interiors and experiential hospitality spaces across the UK and Europe.
The tour will be documented through TSC short-form video, social coverage and a post-event editorial recap to share insights with the wider chef community.
(Pictures: Oscar Oliva)
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