El Lazarillo de Tormes is a classic work that, among its many teachings, makes a crucial lesson clear: fame is not always accompanied by financial success or stability. The story of the rogue who observes the fall from grace of the aristocracy highlights the gap between appearance and reality, something that can perfectly apply to the lives of many big names today, including chef Dabiz Muñoz.
Muñoz has been one of the great protagonists of Spanish and international gastronomy in recent years, but his career has not been free of moments of reflection and difficulty. Recently, his documentary was released UniverXO Dabiz on Netflixwhich offers an intimate look at the life behind his famous restaurant DiverXO, an establishment that has led the chef to achieve the status of “best chef in the world” thanks to his three Michelin stars.
Through this documentary Muñoz has revealed the other side of his success, showing us not only the avant-garde cuisine that has made DiverXO famous, but also the difficulties and personal sacrifices it has entailed to get to where he is. In a recent interview on eThe ‘Zapando’ programthe chef was candid about his thoughts regarding the future of DiverXO, stating that the decision to close the restaurant “has already been made.” This statement has surprised many, since DiverXO has been a symbol of his career and one of the most emblematic restaurants of modern gastronomy.
The question the journalist asked him Maria Gomez on whether he was really thinking about closing a restaurant with three Michelin stars, with the history it has and the impact it has left on Spanish cuisine, he made clear the internal conflict that Muñoz faces. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. It’s a dichotomy between what it means to close it and what it would mean not to close it. In reality, I think the decision has been made, but it won’t be known in the second season,” he confessed, referring to the next installment of his documentary.
This possible goodbye from DiverXO is not just a matter of business. Muñoz explained in the same context that the price of success in haute cuisine has been very high, stating that, if he had to start from scratch, he does not believe he would be able to do it: “I still hear that I am in fashion. Blessed fashion that lasts 19 years. That is called a trend.” For him, the rise to the highest culinary level has not been easy or satisfying in all aspects, and the personal difficulties that come with being at the top have weighed as much as his professional achievements.
