Le Cordon Bleu Madrid celebrates the 2025 Michelin guide stars awarded to alumni

Tuesday, November 26th, was a momentous day celebrating Spanish cuisine. Our alumni, Coco Montes and Manu Franco, each received their first Michelin star in recognition of their unique culinary projects.

Coco Montes, Pabú Restaurant

Originally from Madrid and with roots in Asturias and the Basque Country, Coco Montes left his corporate job to pursue his true passion: cooking. He trained at Le Cordon Bleu Madrid and the renowned Paris headquarters, where he also learned under the guidance of Alain Passard at L'Arpège restaurant in Paris. Coco spent one year as an intern and two additional years working on the kitchen team. Recently, Pabú was recognised as the best new restaurant opening of 2024 in Madrid at the last edition of The Fork Awards.

Manuel Franco, La Casa de Manolo Franco Restaurant

Manuel Franco was raised in the bustling kitchen of his family’s restaurant bar. After spending 20 years travelling the world as a journalist, he returned to his culinary roots and trained at Le Cordon Bleu Madrid. Manuel now leads a talented culinary team and has developed a cooking style that highlights the herbal aromas characteristic of the Sierra de Madrid Mountain region. His head chef, Diana Álvarez, is also a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Madrid, where she earned her Spanish Cuisine Diploma.

At Le Cordon Bleu Madrid, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Coco and Manuel and wish them continued success in their careers. We also congratulate all the chefs, sponsors, alumni, and friends who continuously contribute to the excellence of Spanish gastronomy. Special recognition goes to Nacho Manzano, executive chef at Casa Marcial restaurant, for earning a well-deserved three Michelin stars this year. Nacho was president of the 11th edition of our Annual Promising Chefs in Haute Cuisine competition. We would also like to acknowledge our alumni Cristóbal Muñoz (Ambivium Restaurant), Rafael de Bedoya (Aleia Restaurant), Daniel Silvestre (NM Restaurant), Alejandro Pérez (Villa Sommerlust Restaurant), and Clara Puig de la Bellacasa (Tula Restaurant) for their dedication and skill in retaining their Michelin stars. Congratulations to all!