In the charming town of La Vall de Bianya, just an hour and a half north of Barcelona, lies the Michelin-starred restaurant Ca l’Enric, nestled in the hills. Established in 1882 as an inn and transformed into a restaurant in 1965, this culinary gem is now run by the founder’s descendants. The Michelin website describes it as a place that “embraces traditional Catalan cuisine while showcasing creative dishes made from seasonal local ingredients.”
Last year, the arrival of chef Wu Haizhu brought a fresh, unprecedented energy to this Michelin establishment. She is the first Chinese chef in the restaurant’s century-long history. Born and raised in Guangdong, China, Wu led a nomadic life in Beijing before the pandemic, working as a barista, bartender, and marketing specialist in hotels. After the COVID-19 outbreak, she moved to Barcelona to pursue her culinary dreams, transitioning from intern to a full-fledged chef.
At just 28 years old, Wu reflects on her past decade and recognizes that cooking has always been her enduring passion. However, during her earlier years in the restaurant world, she faced repeated discouragement when trying to break into the kitchen, often told that “kitchens don’t hire women,” or that “this job is very demanding.” A turning point came during the pandemic, when working from home allowed her to focus on developing new recipes. She often found herself struggling to communicate effectively with kitchen teams. This prompted her to realize the necessity of gaining professional kitchen experience: “If I learn the technical aspects of cooking and become a chef, I might be able to better express my creative ideas.”
In her education, Wu chose the Culinary Institute of Barcelona, a relatively new school situated in a sun-soaked coastal city. Over the course of a year, she immersed herself in European cuisine, earning a prestigious culinary diploma. After graduating, she seamlessly entered into an internship at a Michelin restaurant, receiving a job offer within a month, making her the first among her classmates to secure a work visa. In the kitchen, she worked in the hot food department, preparing main dishes and sauces.
When asked about her smooth transition to a permanent position, Wu attributes it to her “scarcity” and “proactiveness.” She observed that many renowned Spanish restaurants were experimenting with East Asian culinary styles, making her expertise invaluable. Her colleagues often sought her input on ingredient handling from East Asian countries, while Wu herself displayed a proactive approach, playfully referring to herself as a “talkative” team member. Leveraging her marketing experience, she provided social media strategies to help attract younger patrons, which set her apart from the rest of the kitchen staff.
Despite achieving her dream job at a Michelin-starred restaurant, Wu admits that the physical demands of the work took a toll. With a typical schedule of six days a week, totaling an average of 48 hours, the long hours spent on her feet began causing severe pain in her right hand, sometimes keeping her awake at night. Furthermore, the focus on Catalan cuisine didn’t align with her aspirations to innovate Chinese dishes, leading her to resign at the end of last year. She is currently freelancing in recipe development and consulting while considering opening a brunch spot in Barcelona.
After leaving the kitchen, Wu dedicated time to acupuncture to heal from the physical strain of her previous role. However, she is not averse to returning to the kitchen and hopes to combine recipe consulting with practical kitchen work in the future. She encourages women who love cooking and want to enter the culinary field to “dare to learn.” She insists that it’s not as difficult as they might think, and that as one spends more time in the kitchen, they can find their own rhythm: “Don’t let the male-dominated kitchen intimidate you; they learned too, and you can learn as well.”
As for her current favorite restaurants, Wu praises Qu Liang Yuan in Beijing, a high-end restaurant that creatively fuses Chinese and French cuisines, creating a “comfortable fine dining” experience. She also admires La Cuchara in northern Spain, a tapas restaurant known for its meticulous selection of ingredients and the chef’s exceptional skills, which make it a go-to destination for culinary school students. “They truly serve the community with their expertise, and it’s remarkable,” she shares.
