Fire destroys kitchen at world-famous Mugaritz restaurant in Spain

FIRE has gutted the kitchen of one of Spain's top restaurants.

Andoni Luis Aduriz, the chef and owner of the Mugaritz restaurant, south of Renteria in the Basque region, said the blaze had destroyed the entire cooking area of the establishment, which has two Michelin stars.

He said: "Over the years, we had collected lots of material to end up with a very well-equipped kitchen, and it's all down the tubes. In three hours, we've lost everything."

Mr Aduriz, 39, is acknowledged as a rising star in avant-garde Spanish gastronomy in the style of Ferran Adria, known for "deconstructing" food and putting it back together in surprising ways. He has worked with top Spanish chefs, including Juan Maria Arzak and Martin Berasategui.

The respected San Pellegrino "World's 50 best restaurants" list rated Mugaritz fourth behind Mr Adria's restaurant, El Bulli, Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, and Rene Redzepi's Noma in Denmark.

The Basque regional interior ministry says the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit. No-one was hurt.