Aitor Zabala
Aitor Zabala Lozano | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 13, 1979 Barcelona, Spain |
| Occupation(s) | Culinary professional, chef, restaurateur |
| Known for | Proprietor of Somni, awarded three Michelin stars |
Aitor Zabala Lozano (born 13 March 1979) is a Spanish culinary professional and proprietor of Somni located in West Hollywood, which was awarded three Michelin stars on 25 June 2025.
Biography
Originating from Barcelona, Aitor comes from a family with deep Basque culinary heritage. His grandfather, Luis Zabala, a former professional footballer, relocated the family from Bilbao to Barcelona in 1941. Both his grandmother and mother were employed in well-known Basque dining establishments in Barcelona.
Aitor completed his culinary education at the Hoffman School of Gastronomy in Barcelona. Between 2006 and 2009, he gained experience at prestigious Spanish restaurants such as Akelarre, Arzak, Alkimia, and El Bulli. During this period, he worked alongside the creative team of Ferran Adrià and connected with chef José Andrés, who later invited him to oversee creative direction for his restaurant group in the United States.
In 2018, Zabala partnered with José Andrés to launch Somni inside the SLS Beverly Hills hotel. The restaurant quickly achieved two Michelin stars, and in 2020, Aitor was recognized as the eighth best chef globally by The Best Chef Awards. Unfortunately, both the hotel and Somni closed in August 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the following five years, Zabala attracted new investors to facilitate Somni's reopening, initially aiming for a 2023 relaunch. The restaurant officially reopened on 24 November 2024. Subsequently, on 25 June 2025, Somni received three Michelin stars at the US edition of the Michelin Guide awards held in Sacramento. This accolade made Zabala the first Spanish chef to secure three stars outside of Spain. Alongside Somni, Providence in Hollywood became one of the inaugural Greater Los Angeles establishments to earn this prestigious honor.