Inside the Kitchen: Seven Questions With Sandra Cordero of Xuntos

New Year’s Eve at my uncle Alfredo’s house in Coruña, sometime in the ’90s. He did well that year, sold a couple of cars, and got a bonus. That meant the table was covered in mariscos: stacks of cigalas, percebes, crabs, oysters, and clams. The whole family was there; we ate for hours and hours, and the food was never-ending. I tried some Champagne for the first time and an oyster, which I didn’t love at the time, since I was a kid. All I can say is the bar was set high.

It’s my heritage, my childhood, the career I chose, and what I love to cook and eat most. There are so many regions, traditions, and innovations coming out of Spain, and so much still to explore.

Get rich fast. Haha, if only.

I want to introduce Americans to real Spanish food. Not just the flavors, but the way of life: the joys of having a meal together and relaxing. Spaniards know how to do this best.

Restaurante Güeyu Mar in Asturias. I keep running into chef Abel at wine tastings, and though there is nothing like a tin of Güeyu Mar sardinas or berberechos, I need to go where it all began: on the beach!

Restraint. Keep it simple; let the ingredients shine. Don’t mess it up.

Tortilla española: potato, caramelized onion, and eggs, still soft and a little runny in the middle. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, on a sandwich, hot or cold. It’s the ultimate comfort food.