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Romain Fornell celebrates his Legion of Honour in Barcelona surrounded by stars
The French-Catalan chef Romain Fornell receives the Legion of Honour at a crowded ceremony in Barcelona. A night full of gastronomic figures, family and emotion. This was his most special celebration.
Romain Fornell, a Michelin-starred chef in France and Spain, celebrated in Barcelona the awarding of the prestigious French Légion d'honneur. The ceremony brought together around 300 guests, including family, friends, colleagues from the gastronomic sector and political figures.
Fornell, born in Toulouse but closely linked to Catalunya, asked for the award ceremony to be held in Barcelona, the city where he has developed most of his career and where he says he feels as French as he does Catalan. The medal was presented to him by Manuel Valls, Minister for Overseas Territories, accompanied by mayor Jaume Collboni and the French consul Azar Agah-Ducrocq.
The event took place at Azul Rooftop Barcelona, one of the restaurants in the Goût Rouge group, run by the chef himself. Attendees included prominent names such as Albert Adrià, Carles Gaig, Rafa Peña, Òscar Manresa and former player Nikola Karabatic, who wanted to accompany him on this very special occasion.
Fornell's career has been shaped by gastronomy since his youth. His grandfather emigrated from Lleida to Paris to open the restaurant Le Coq Hardy, and he followed in his footsteps, gaining his first Michelin star in France at just 24. In 2000 he settled in Barcelona, and in 2005 he earned another star with the restaurant Caelis, becoming the only chef with this recognition in both countries.
The French government highlighted his more than 30 years of career and his role as an ambassador for French culinary culture. The evening ended with a cocktail dinner and live music, bringing an unforgettable night to a close for Fornell, now a member of the same order as figures such as Marie Curie and Charles de Gaulle.