Lorenzo Cavazzoni: the Genoa native who wants to play in the Champions League from Barcelona

At the end of October 2024, Can Bo, the new restaurant located inside the Gran Hotel Central on Barcelona's central Via Laietana, opened its doors. The establishment occupies the ground floor of a historic building: the former business headquarters of Francesc Cambó, a lawyer and politician, and inspired by the majestic architecture of Chicago skyscrapers. It also holds a curious fact: it was the first building in the city to have an elevator. But to discover chef Lorenzo Cavazzoni's cuisine, no elevator is necessary: Can Bo is at street level and exudes vitality from the moment you step inside. "The construction is over, but Via Laietana will always be chaotic," says Lorenzo humorously, who is passionate about this gastronomic project steeped in symbolism. The name, Can Bo, plays on Cambó's surname and the aspiration to offer excellent food.

Lorenzo defines his restaurant like this: "A Catalan and Spanish tapas bar, with local, seasonal products, but with some Italian influences from my homeland. We do everything with a lot of care and a certain level of skill," he explains. Next to him is Oliver Peña (Kitchen Bar Theatre), who advises on the project. "I've known him for years and it's an honor to have him here," he adds. All the dishes are meant to be shared and designed to be enjoyed with carefully chosen pairings. We start with Can Bo's XXL gildas, accompanied by a glass of Inalterat, a cava from the Sumarroca winery. Next comes the Russian salad with tuna belly and the intriguing testa in casetaA homemade white herring carpaccio. "We boil the head, let it cure for a few days, slice it thinly, and serve it," explains Giancarlo, the head waiter. We paired these dishes with a Levante 90, a fresh and light 100% Malvasia white wine from the Emilia region, reminiscent of cider. Among the menu's highlights is the smoked bonito with garlic oil.

The rice with charred red prawn, clams, and aioli arrives as a savory climax, served with a red wine called Volaina from the Credo winery. "We make a broth with the prawn head juices and serve it on top," the chef elaborates. For dessert, a Lorenzo tiramisu, made to order with Finca coffee and Santo Domingo chocolate, and a classic flan, perfectly balanced and creamy. Obviously, there's a wine pairing here too, a Roccolo Grassi, perfect for putting the finishing touch on a great meal.

A good potato salad

Lorenzo, born in Genoa, has worked in Rome and London, but has been living in Catalonia for six years, where he came for love. "My partner wanted to learn Spanish to go work in South America, but the good weather made us stay," he explains. Now, firmly settled, he dreams big: "It's not easy to find a good potato salad or a good Spanish omelet. Oliver and I want to do the classics right." You never know what life will bring, but Lorenzo is comfortable on Via Laietana. From there, he smiles and declares: "I want to fight to play in the Champions League of Catalan gastronomy."