Miguel Carretero

Chef at Mengano Wines (Ciudad Real, Spain)

Carretero's approach is based on the understanding that "a humble product, well made, can be something incredible", something he learned from his mother and aunt's cooking.

Although he initially began studying Industrial Automation, Miguel soon realized that path was not for him. From Madrid, where he had moved from Pedro Muñoz (Ciudad Real) to study, he later relocated to Toledo. At the age of 21, he enrolled in the School of Hospitality, and that is where cooking truly won him over.

His two main mentors have been Iván Cerdeño and Manolo de la Osa. He joined De la Osa’s project, Adunia, as head chef, but the restaurant closed just a few weeks later. That moment marked the beginning of the Manchego chef’s own personal project.

In 2017 he opened Santerra in Madrid’s Salamanca district, presenting a cuisine rooted in product and technique, guided by seasonality and interpreting dishes with both traditional soul and contemporary character.

He earned a Michelin star in 2024 and had previously won the award for “Best Croquette in the World” at Madrid Fusión in 2018, later reaffirming his title as “Champion of Champions Croquette” at the same congress in 2022.

Today, Carretero begins a new chapter alongside his brother at Mengano Wine Bar, a space where he maintains his essence: straightforward cooking, carefully chosen ingredients, and a vision of gastronomy that turns simplicity into something memorable.