Ángela Pérez

Guisandera y chef at Casa Emburria (Tineo, Asturias, Spain)

Although she is fond of innovation, this stewmistress remains loyal to tradition at Casa Emburria.

Ángela Pérez was born in Llamas del Mouro, a remote village in the Cangas del Narcea district. Her father was a miner, and her mother was a housewife and farmer. With a promising academic career in store, she decided to put away her books aged 18 to work at the restaurant of her boyfriend, José Manuel Arias "Manel". And she never left Casa Emburria.

She learned the trade from mother-in-law Clotilde, "who made better stews than anyone", but now Ángela Pérez runs the business without Clotilde. There she continues the tradition of typical home cooking, although occasionally some of the chef's more daring innovative recipes emerge. "With respect for tradition at all times, because this is the greatest heritage of a stewmistress".