Jordi Esteve, the chef at the helm of Nectari restaurant in Barcelona, is one of those people who understand gastronomy as an act that goes far beyond cooking. Known for his social commitment and a philosophy that has earned him distinctions in sustainability such as the two green circles of the 360 Eat Guide, the chef has taken a giant step towards inclusion: making his dining room the first in Catalonia to offer a menu adapted to people with autism.
This initiative is no coincidence. Esteve, who already offered a menu in Braille for blind people, was inspired after attending a training session at the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce given by Alberto Gutiérrez, the president of the Autism Friendly Club. The idea was simple in its genesis, but complex in its execution in a haute cuisine restaurant: to eliminate the stress of uncertainty that can generate in an autistic person not knowing exactly what he or she is going to eat.
A menu that anticipates and reassures
The solution materialized in a menu that, in some ways, is reminiscent of those with photographs that make it easier for tourists to choose in Barcelona, but with a much more profound objective. Through pictograms, friendly and colorful, the Nectari team describes the tasting menu of the house, which consists of eight courses plus petit fours.
As Alberto Gutiérrez, from the Autism Friendly Club, explains, this visual representation is key: “For an autistic person, not knowing what they are going to eat generates stress. That’s why the pictograms. It is a matter of anticipation, fundamental for many people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who perceive the world differently and need that certainty to be calm.
In addition, the drawings go beyond showing the finished dish, they also include the main ingredients of each recipe. In this way, if there is any component that the diner prefers to avoid, they can point it out so that it can be removed or modified to their liking. For a gastronomic restaurant, with complex dishes such as foie gras and eel with port gelée, or seafood bisque with shrimp tartar, this was a creative “challenge”, according to Esteve.
A growing movement in Catalonia
The chef has not only implemented this practice in his restaurant, but has become a driving force for change in the sector. Thanks to his enthusiasm and contacts, the work of the Autism Friendly Club is expanding rapidly.
From no restaurant in Barcelona with these adaptations, the Catalan capital is seeing a significant change. By mid-November, all restaurants in the Boqueria market plan to incorporate these practices, joining Nectari and other establishments such as Maymanta, Leña and La Font de Prades.
The need for these adaptations is tangible, as there are an estimated 62,000 people with autism in Catalonia, with a wide range of sensitivities and degrees. Nectari’s protocol is not limited to the menu, but extends to other details that the customer is asked about, such as whether they prefer to sit in the dining room or in a reserved area, or if they prefer the background music to be turned off.
The result of this effort is emotional: Jordi Esteve himself reports that families who visit Nectari leave “excited and grateful”, sharing that it is the first gastronomic restaurant where they can fully enjoy themselves.
Nectari’s initiative has not only had an impact on the restaurant industry. Adaptation to neurodiversity is reaching other areas of the city, such as the T-mobilitat care and information center. Added to this movement is the recent recognition of Jordi Esteve himself and Nectari with the Spanish National Hospitality Award in the category of company committed to people with disabilities, a distinction that adds to the second place in the national final of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge of 2025.