Our History
Located in the heart of the Roma Norte neighborhood, next to the Cibeles roundabout, in a place where architecture and quality blend seamlessly.
Our chef, with his European and New York influences, develops a menu that will surprise the most discerning palates with a menu that combines traditional and contemporary cuisine with a fresh take. The dish is presented as a work of art, creating a visual appeal that in turn anticipates a pleasant gastronomic experience.
EXECUTIVE CHEF
Best New Chef 2023
Rafael Zaga, the chef-owner of the restaurant Galea in Mexico City and co-founder of the \\Iddi's bakery\\, discovered his passion for cooking late in life, during a gap year in Israel. During this time, he learned to enjoy cooking for his friends and exploring local markets. Upon returning to Mexico, he worked in the family pizzeria while continuing his studies, but his desire to create led him back to the kitchen to develop his culinary skills. His move to New York marked a turning point in his career. He trained at renowned establishments such as Nobu, Morimoto, and Corton, but it was at Marea, under the direction of chef Michael White, where he truly defined his culinary style. In this Michelin-starred kitchen, he perfected his attention to detail and his focus on simplicity, while rising to the position of sous-chef.
His dedication earned him an artist visa, a rare recognition for a foreign chef, which reflected his exceptional talent.
After ten years in New York, Rafael returned to Mexico, where he quickly made a name for himself in the local food scene. In 2021, he opened Galea, a restaurant that embodies his minimalist approach, focused on seasonality and local produce. His menu, which evolves with the seasons, features balanced dishes where no single ingredient dominates, such as his signature sweet potato millefeuille. Furthermore, his collaboration with pastry chef Michelle Catarata at Iddi's reflects a culinary complicity that reinvents classics with a modern twist, thus cementing his mark on the city's gastronomy.
Pastry Chef
Best Pastry Chef of the Year 2024 by the Guía Culinaria Mexicana.
Michelle Catarata, co-founder and pastry chef of Galea restaurant and Iddi’s Bakery in Mexico City, always had a natural talent for cooking, a gift she discovered almost without realizing it while growing up in Queens, New York. From a young age, she helped her grandmother in her Filipino kitchen, where her joy in cooking for others was revealed. Over time, she realized her talent for creating desserts, which gave her the confidence to consider a career in pastry, deciding to enroll in a program at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.
Her professional career began in New York, where she perfected her technique in various restaurants, especially at The NoMad alongside chef Daniel Humm. However, it was at Sorella, a female-run Italian restaurant, where her career truly took off. For six years, Michelle developed her skills in pastry and savory cooking, expanding her culinary repertoire.
Sorella allowed her to experiment with a variety of pastries, laying the groundwork for what would become Iddi's seventeen years later. After Sorella's closure, Michelle reconnected with her roots in the Philippines, contributing to programs that fused traditional and modern baking.
Back in New York, Michelle joined the Michelin-starred restaurant Marea as a sous-chef, where she refined her style and attention to detail under the direction of Pastry Chef Francis Joven. Currently, in Mexico City, she leads Iddi's and the pastry shop at Galea restaurant alongside Chef Rafael Zaga. Her culinary approach focuses on flavor balance, seasonality, and the use of local ingredients, reflected in signature creations like her chocolate cake. Michelle continues to reinvent the art of dessert with passion, subtlety, and a touch of magic, staying alert to trends and guided by her instincts.