Pepe Rodríguez, a prestigious chef and regular judge on MasterChef, has once again captured media attention with a little-known revelation. This time, the protagonist has recounted an episode that directly involves King Juan Carlos I. The chef has shared previously unknown details about an encounter that took place at his family restaurant,
What is surprising is that, despite the prestige of Juan Carlos, Pepe has confirmed that on one occasion he had to deny him a table. He shared this story during an interview on the show El musical de tu vida in 2023. There, he explained how the events unfolded and the reasons that led him to make that decision.
The chef recalled that it was March 11, during the Illescas festivities, when he received a call that left him perplexed. "He tells me he wants a table for two," he recounted, not knowing at first if he was really speaking with the king or if it was some kind of joke. The confusion was such that he thought it could be Carlos.
Pepe Rodríguez reveals why he denied the reservation to King Juan Carlos
Finally, despite the insistence, the chef explained that he couldn't offer a table because the restaurant was full and it wasn't possible to cancel an already confirmed reservation. "I tell him it can't be done, we're full and it's impossible," he confessed. The news led the president of the Spanish Academy of Gastronomy to ask him how he could deny a table to the king.
However, Rodríguez kept his position firmly, arguing that he respected the customers who had already made a reservation before the emeritus. "I wasn't going to ask someone who had their reservation to leave," he explained. This anecdote reflects the chef's commitment to professionalism and ethics in his work.
Pepe Rodríguez's professionalism in the face of King Juan Carlos's call
The story became even more curious when Pepe met a gentleman who, upon hearing the story, told him "Well, I think that's just fine." This comment reflects the division of opinions that the anecdote caused among the public. However, it also highlights the respect for the decision of a professional who chose transparency and honesty.
Pepe Rodríguez, in addition to being a benchmark in haute cuisine, has shown that his personal integrity is as strong as his culinary talent. This story about Juan Carlos is a clear example of how, even in unusual situations, professionalism can prevail over protocol or tradition.