The recognition arrives only four months after its opening — a historic milestone that makes it the fastest restaurant in Spain to obtain a Michelin star. The night before, EMi was also awarded the title of «Best New International Opening 2026» in Paris by La Liste.
Malaga, November 25th., 2025. The restaurant EMi, run by chef Rubén Hernández Mosquero, has just been awarded its first Michelin star. This is a big achievement because it means it is the fastest restaurant in Spain to get one. It got the star just four months after it opened on 29 July 2025.
This recognition is further supported by another major international achievement: on 24 November, the night before the Michelin gala, EMi was honored in Paris by La Liste as «Best New International Opening 2026». This award highlights the global success of the project.
When he received the star, Rubén Hernández Mosquero spoke about what makes EMi special: «The team’s enthusiasm and energy are what make each service feel special. Recognitions like this make us want to keep working with the same honesty and respect for our craft.»
Since its opening, EMi has established itself as one of the great gastronomic revelations of 2025. On a single day —17 November— the restaurant received three major distinctions: the T de Oro Award from Tapas Magazine and Metrópoli’s (El Mundo) awards for Chef of the Year 2025 and Restaurant of the Year 2025. These accolades strengthened the impact of the project and recognized a proposal capable of resonating with critics and diners through authenticity, technical depth and sensitivity.
The food: a menu that tells the chef’s story, with a mix of Nordic tastes, Japanese and Korean styles, and Extremaduran flavours.
EMi is the first personal project of chef Rubén Hernández Mosquero, trained at Taberna del Alabardero and with more than a decade of experience in some of the world’s most influential kitchens, including Noma, Geranium, Azurmendi and Il Ristorante Luca Fantin. He has served as Head Chef at minibar by José Andrés and at Atomix, where he also held the position of Head of R&D.
This journey has created a special and personal proposal that brings together Nordic sensitivity, Japanese precision and Korean intensity with the flavours of his home: game, stews and broths that he enjoyed as a child in Extremadura. The result is a menu that tells a story through the chef’s techniques and emotions.
Among the menu’s signature dishes are the “weird nigiri — like me,” a combination of rice, house-made nori oil and prawns served over a crisp Korean gim bugak; the hamachi cured for three to four days and served with spinach, watercress, radish flower, sea grapes, finger lime and fermented tomato; and the chawanmushi made with egg, house-made seaweed broth and blended whole foie, cooked to achieve a silky texture and finished with a mushroom duxelle and national lobster.
An experience for twelve guests: proximity, dialogue and a space designed to watch and participate
Located at Calle Gaztambide 64, the 450 m² space is distributed across two floors: 220 m² at street level with a 12-seat counter facing the open kitchen, a private table for up to six guests, a relaxed zone for ending the experience and a visible wine cellar; and 250 m² on the upper floor dedicated to fermentations and development.
Design is a fundamental part of the project: an architectural and artistic manifesto where gastronomy intersects with design, art and sustainability. The technical project was led by engineer Eduardo Michavila, responsible for some of the country’s most emblematic restaurants.
Every corner has been created to evoke emotion and accompany the culinary narrative: from exclusive works by artist Mr. Piro, to Michel Vecchi’s organic sculptures and handcrafted ceramics by Brokken Ceramics, ACME, Stefan Andersson, and glass artist ZelmerOlsen.
The wine program: over one thousand references and three pairings expressing layers, altitude and nuance
In the dining room, Miguel Ángel Millán, one of Spain’s most influential sommeliers, oversees a cellar of more than 1,000 references and around 3,000 bottles in constant evolution. His liquid proposal is conceived as a dialogue with the cuisine, expanding the narrative of the menu through a selection that blends champagne, wines from emerging producers, classic regions and rare bottles.
EMi offers three pairing options, each designed to accompany the menu at different levels of complexity and depth:
- Lirios, a precise, fresh and balanced pairing paying tribute to the lirio lusitano, a flower native to Rubén’s hometown. It is the purest and most direct option: wines that complement without overwhelming, crafted to enhance the menu’s narrative through harmony and sensitivity.
- Nubes, where the wings begin to open. A pairing in which Millán plays with layers, nuances and wines of greater aromatic and textural development. Proposals that allow diners to “fly” a little higher, exploring diversity and deepening the liquid interpretation of each course.
- Estratosfera, the highest flight. This pairing is inspired by the wings Millán wears embroidered on his back — a symbol of the creative impulse to let go and dare to go beyond. It is a journey through iconic references, singular wines and nearly unrepeatable bottles, selected to elevate each dish and reveal a different layer of emotion. For those seeking a unique, elevated and thrilling liquid experience where every glass is a treasure.
These three proposals allow the experience to be tailored to different levels of intensity and offer a glimpse into Millán’s personal vision of harmony between wine and cuisine.
A trajectory that confirms the strength of the project
The recognitions obtained over the past four months, both nationally and internationally, confirms the impact of EMi as one of the most influential openings of the year. In a very short time, the restaurant has evolved from being one of the most highly anticipated openings of 2025 to becoming a distinctive voice in contemporary fine dining. It remains true to a vision that combines technique, sensitivity and emotion. The award of its first Michelin star reaffirms the solidity of the project and adds to its ascending path.
About Rubén Hernández Mosquero
Rubén Hernández Mosquero (Reina, Badajoz) is an Extremaduran chef raised in Alcobendas who has received solid training in classical and contemporary cuisine. He trained at the Taberna del Alabardero in Seville, and has worked in some of the world’s most influential restaurants, including Noma, Geranium, Azurmendi, Il Ristorante Luca Fantin in Tokyo, and Minibar by José Andrés.
His most recent role as Head of R&D at Atomix in New York was key in securing the restaurant a place at No. 6 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, as well as Best Restaurant in North America twice. After more than 15 years of international experience, he returned to Madrid in 2025 to create his most personal and ambitious project: EMi.
About Miguel Ángel Millán
Miguel Ángel Millán, from Madrid, is one of the most respected and awarded sommeliers on the international scene. He began his career in hospitality as a self-taught professional, combining work and training from the outset. He trained at institutions such as the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, Wine Studio (WSET) and the Court of Master Sommeliers (UK), and worked alongside key figures in the wine world.
Throughout his career, he has been involved in the wine programmes of some of Spain’s most iconic restaurants, including the former Jockey, Santceloni, Kabuki Wellington and DiverXO, where he served as Head Sommelier for six years. His creative approach, profound technical knowledge, and ability to inspire guests through wine earned him the 50 Best Beronia World’s Best Sommelier Award in 2023 — one of the most prestigious accolades in the industry.
About EMi
EMi is the first personal project of chef Rubén Hernández Mosquero — a contemporary fine dining restaurant with a nomadic spirit, where the philosophy of the New Nordic Cuisine converges with Japanese and Korean techniques, tied closely to the flavors of his childhood and built primarily around national and seasonal products.
Located at Calle Gaztambide 64, the space spans more than 450 m² across two floors: 220 m² on the street level with a 12-seat counter facing the open kitchen, a private table for up to six guests, a relaxed area to close the experience, a visible wine cellar, and 250 m² on an upper level dedicated to fermentations and development. The gastronomic proposal is structured around a single tasting menu including snacks, cold and hot dishes and a carefully crafted dessert section, with strong technical foundations, extensive use of broths, fermentations and seaweeds, and a majority of national and seasonal products.
Key Information
Address: Calle Gaztambide, 64 – Madrid
Website: www.emimadrid.com
Instagram: @emirestaurantemadrid
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday (closed Sundays and Mondays)
MEDIA CONTACT
For interviews, reports and enquiries:
Sara Sánchez – saras@mateoandco.es – Tel: +34 608 06 28 52
