With his close-cropped hair and youthful demeanor, Santi Zabaleta looks like he could be your kid brother, or maybe a candidate for a college wrestling team. But if that’s what you’ve guessed, you missed the mark. Instead, Zabaleta is the executive chef of the elegant and highly respected Spanish restaurant, Taberna del Alabardero, located in downtown DC.
Considering his youth—Zabaleta is only 29 years old—it’s safe to say he has reached several career milestones at a very early age: He is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America; he has cooked at several Michelin starred restaurants in London and Barcelona; and he moved to the United States after checking out culinary opportunities in Switzerland, France, and Spain. When he arrived in DC, he became the chef de cuisine at Taberna del Alabardero, before ascending to his present position. And last year, Zabaleta was nominated as a finalist for “Rising Culinary Star of the Year” for the Washington, DC 2006 RAMMY Restaurant Awards Gala.
