Just a few months ago, Las Brasas de Calafell surprised locals and visitors with something no one expected from a restaurant: its own summer song. A daring initiative that managed to turn the establishment's name into a recognisable melody.
But those who thought it was a one-off whim didn't yet know its founders.
Now, in the midst of the Christmas season, the restaurant is once again making a statement with an initiative aimed at revolutionising celebrations in Baix Penedès. And this time, it's not limited to traditional company meals and dinners: Las Brasas has decided to extend its particular revolution to the major family celebrations on December 25th and 26th, and January 1st and 6th, with a proposal that shares the same philosophy: completely fixed menus, unlimited drinks, and not a single surprise on the bill.
The formula combines a menu for companies and groups at 39 euros per person with special offers for Christmas, Sant Esteve, New Year's Day, and Epiphany for 49 euros, all with the peace of mind of knowing the price from the outset and enjoying the celebration without worrying about how many bottles have been opened.
And the response has been swift. According to those in charge, enquiries and bookings have soared, exceeding the establishment's expectations and demonstrating that behind this initiative lay a need that many customers had been requesting for a long time.
But to reduce this phenomenon to a mere gastronomic promotion would be to skim the surface. Behind it is a young team that studies, takes risks, and questions what others take for granted. A generation of entrepreneurs who are not content with doing things the usual way and who have an unhidden ambition: to make Las Brasas de Calafell a gastronomic and business benchmark in the region.
Its manager, Oriol Moreno Campamà, sums up this philosophy with a statement that makes their intentions clear: "We are not content with people just coming to eat. We want them to have reasons to talk about us".
We speak with him to discover what lies behind this initiative and how far they want to go.
But those who thought it was a one-off whim didn't yet know its founders.
Now, in the midst of the Christmas season, the restaurant is once again making a statement with an initiative aimed at revolutionising celebrations in Baix Penedès. And this time, it's not limited to traditional company meals and dinners: Las Brasas has decided to extend its particular revolution to the major family celebrations on December 25th and 26th, and January 1st and 6th, with a proposal that shares the same philosophy: completely fixed menus, unlimited drinks, and not a single surprise on the bill.
The formula combines a menu for companies and groups at 39 euros per person with special offers for Christmas, Sant Esteve, New Year's Day, and Epiphany for 49 euros, all with the peace of mind of knowing the price from the outset and enjoying the celebration without worrying about how many bottles have been opened.
And the response has been swift. According to those in charge, enquiries and bookings have soared, exceeding the establishment's expectations and demonstrating that behind this initiative lay a need that many customers had been requesting for a long time.
But to reduce this phenomenon to a mere gastronomic promotion would be to skim the surface. Behind it is a young team that studies, takes risks, and questions what others take for granted. A generation of entrepreneurs who are not content with doing things the usual way and who have an unhidden ambition: to make Las Brasas de Calafell a gastronomic and business benchmark in the region.
Its manager, Oriol Moreno Campamà, sums up this philosophy with a statement that makes their intentions clear: "We are not content with people just coming to eat. We want them to have reasons to talk about us".
We speak with him to discover what lies behind this initiative and how far they want to go.
Oriol, what is happening at Las Brasas de Calafell? This summer a song became a hit, and now a Christmas menu is causing bookings to skyrocket. Do you have a plan, or do you just improvise?
(Laughs). We have a plan! Although I admit we like to surprise. From the beginning, we knew we didn't want to open just another restaurant and do the same as everyone else. We want things to happen. We want people to wonder what we'll do next. The song was a gamble that no one expected from a restaurant, and it worked wonderfully. Now we've done something completely different, but with the same mindset: identify an opportunity and dare to seize it. The easy thing would be to stick with what's already working. But we're not the type to stand still.
(Laughs). We have a plan! Although I admit we like to surprise. From the beginning, we knew we didn't want to open just another restaurant and do the same as everyone else. We want things to happen. We want people to wonder what we'll do next. The song was a gamble that no one expected from a restaurant, and it worked wonderfully. Now we've done something completely different, but with the same mindset: identify an opportunity and dare to seize it. The easy thing would be to stick with what's already working. But we're not the type to stand still.
Let's talk about that latest venture. Unlimited food and drink for 39 euros? Does it really add up?
If it didn't, we wouldn't have done it. (Laughs). What's really interesting is all the work behind it. We'd been hearing the same complaint for a while: companies wanted fixed menus, but when the dinner came, there were always extra charges for drinks. They told us: 'Oriol, we want to know how much it's all going to cost, no surprises.' So we started thinking about it. We studied the costs, analysed how to make it viable, and in the end, we asked ourselves: why not? Why do we have to keep doing things the same way? We decided to take the risk. And seeing the response, I think we got it right.
If it didn't, we wouldn't have done it. (Laughs). What's really interesting is all the work behind it. We'd been hearing the same complaint for a while: companies wanted fixed menus, but when the dinner came, there were always extra charges for drinks. They told us: 'Oriol, we want to know how much it's all going to cost, no surprises.' So we started thinking about it. We studied the costs, analysed how to make it viable, and in the end, we asked ourselves: why not? Why do we have to keep doing things the same way? We decided to take the risk. And seeing the response, I think we got it right.
What is it about your offer that is attracting so much attention?
That we've solved a problem everyone knows. Imagine you're organising your company's Christmas dinner for twenty people. You agree on a price, but then extra bottles, soft drinks, beers start arriving... And when the dinner ends, the bill isn't what you expected. Or worse: someone has to explain to their colleagues that additional drinks are paid for separately. We've eliminated all that. Twenty people, 780 euros. Period. No one has to count glasses, no one has to split bills, and no one has to face a surprise. It seems simple, but for the person organising a celebration, it brings enormous peace of mind.
That we've solved a problem everyone knows. Imagine you're organising your company's Christmas dinner for twenty people. You agree on a price, but then extra bottles, soft drinks, beers start arriving... And when the dinner ends, the bill isn't what you expected. Or worse: someone has to explain to their colleagues that additional drinks are paid for separately. We've eliminated all that. Twenty people, 780 euros. Period. No one has to count glasses, no one has to split bills, and no one has to face a surprise. It seems simple, but for the person organising a celebration, it brings enormous peace of mind.
And how have customers responded?
Much better than we expected. We're experiencing a real boom in enquiries and bookings. The most amusing thing is the disbelief of many customers. They call us and ask: 'But, is all the drink really included?' We tell them yes. And they ask again. (Laughs). When we explain that they can enjoy house wine, water, and soft drinks throughout the meal or dinner with no extra charge, the reaction is fantastic. That's when you realise we weren't trying to sell them something they didn't need. We were responding to something they'd been asking for a long time. 'Tradition is in our kitchen, not in our way of thinking.'
Much better than we expected. We're experiencing a real boom in enquiries and bookings. The most amusing thing is the disbelief of many customers. They call us and ask: 'But, is all the drink really included?' We tell them yes. And they ask again. (Laughs). When we explain that they can enjoy house wine, water, and soft drinks throughout the meal or dinner with no extra charge, the reaction is fantastic. That's when you realise we weren't trying to sell them something they didn't need. We were responding to something they'd been asking for a long time. 'Tradition is in our kitchen, not in our way of thinking.'
But some might suspect that, at that price, the quality must suffer.
Well, that's where we've put in the most effort. Quality is non-negotiable. We have Iberian ham, cheese, Christmas stew croquettes, mussels marinara, foie gras mi-cuit, a mixed grill with various meats, grilled vegetables, and dessert. We haven't created a budget menu to attract bookings. We've designed a complete celebration, with the product and cuisine we want to offer at Las Brasas. For us, innovation isn't about cutting things to sell cheaper. It's about finding better ways of doing them.
Well, that's where we've put in the most effort. Quality is non-negotiable. We have Iberian ham, cheese, Christmas stew croquettes, mussels marinara, foie gras mi-cuit, a mixed grill with various meats, grilled vegetables, and dessert. We haven't created a budget menu to attract bookings. We've designed a complete celebration, with the product and cuisine we want to offer at Las Brasas. For us, innovation isn't about cutting things to sell cheaper. It's about finding better ways of doing them.
And it seems that formula isn't limited to company dinners. You've also prepared something special for the main Christmas days.
Exactly. We realised that what companies were asking for also made sense for families and groups of friends. That's why we've prepared special menus for December 25th (Christmas), December 26th (Sant Esteve), January 1st (New Year's Day), and January 6th (Epiphany). Four celebrations with a fixed price of 49 euros per person and unlimited drinks. We want people to come and celebrate these days, enjoy a good meal, and forget about the bill. It's not just about changing company dinners. We want to bring that same philosophy to the major Christmas celebrations in Baix Penedès.
Exactly. We realised that what companies were asking for also made sense for families and groups of friends. That's why we've prepared special menus for December 25th (Christmas), December 26th (Sant Esteve), January 1st (New Year's Day), and January 6th (Epiphany). Four celebrations with a fixed price of 49 euros per person and unlimited drinks. We want people to come and celebrate these days, enjoy a good meal, and forget about the bill. It's not just about changing company dinners. We want to bring that same philosophy to the major Christmas celebrations in Baix Penedès.
Listening to you, it seems you have a rather unique way of understanding hospitality. What differentiates Las Brasas from other restaurants?
Look, we believe that putting good food on the table is the least a restaurant should do. That shouldn't be a cause for celebration, but our obligation. The difference lies in everything else. In listening to the customer when they tell you they don't like something. In not replying, 'that's how it's always been done.' In having the ability to sit down with your team, study an idea, and implement it. Sometimes it seems like innovation has to be inventing something extraordinary. It doesn't. Sometimes it's simply about asking why no one has yet solved something that bothers everyone. We want tradition in our kitchens. In our way of thinking, we prefer not to set limits.
Look, we believe that putting good food on the table is the least a restaurant should do. That shouldn't be a cause for celebration, but our obligation. The difference lies in everything else. In listening to the customer when they tell you they don't like something. In not replying, 'that's how it's always been done.' In having the ability to sit down with your team, study an idea, and implement it. Sometimes it seems like innovation has to be inventing something extraordinary. It doesn't. Sometimes it's simply about asking why no one has yet solved something that bothers everyone. We want tradition in our kitchens. In our way of thinking, we prefer not to set limits.
Aren't you afraid of taking so many risks as a young team?
Of course, it's daunting. We're talking about our business, our work, and our responsibility to the people on the team. But I also think it would be a mistake to let that fear make the decisions for us. We take the numbers, organisation, and quality very seriously. We don't act on impulse. However, when an idea has been studied and we believe in it, we take the step. We prefer to take the risk of trying something new than to spend years wondering what might have happened if we had dared.
Of course, it's daunting. We're talking about our business, our work, and our responsibility to the people on the team. But I also think it would be a mistake to let that fear make the decisions for us. We take the numbers, organisation, and quality very seriously. We don't act on impulse. However, when an idea has been studied and we believe in it, we take the step. We prefer to take the risk of trying something new than to spend years wondering what might have happened if we had dared.
It seems your ambition goes far beyond just filling the restaurant this Christmas. What do you really want to achieve?
We want Las Brasas de Calafell to have its own name. We want people to think of us when they consider where to celebrate something special, where to eat good grilled meat, or where to find a restaurant that is always striving to improve. And we want to show that from Calafell, things can be done that attract attention, generate interest, and make people talk about our region. We are young, we have energy, ideas, and a great desire to work. We're not afraid to say we're ambitious. But we also know that this ambition must be demonstrated every day, through service, product, and results.
We want Las Brasas de Calafell to have its own name. We want people to think of us when they consider where to celebrate something special, where to eat good grilled meat, or where to find a restaurant that is always striving to improve. And we want to show that from Calafell, things can be done that attract attention, generate interest, and make people talk about our region. We are young, we have energy, ideas, and a great desire to work. We're not afraid to say we're ambitious. But we also know that this ambition must be demonstrated every day, through service, product, and results.
With the success your initiative is having, aren't you worried that other restaurants will copy the formula?
On the contrary. If they copy us, it will be the best proof that we were doing something right. And, above all, that what seemed so complicated could actually be done. We don't want to be the only ones offering something different; we want to be among those who dare to take the first step. If our initiative encourages other restaurants to rethink how they do things, it will mean we've contributed to changing something in the sector. And that would be a source of pride.
On the contrary. If they copy us, it will be the best proof that we were doing something right. And, above all, that what seemed so complicated could actually be done. We don't want to be the only ones offering something different; we want to be among those who dare to take the first step. If our initiative encourages other restaurants to rethink how they do things, it will mean we've contributed to changing something in the sector. And that would be a source of pride.
So, after the summer song and revolutionising company dinners, what's next? (Smiles). You'll have to come and find out. But I can tell you something: we have many ideas, and this is just the beginning. We want to keep growing and keep surprising. Ultimately, in a few years, we'd like to look back and see that we were able to build something important from here, from Calafell. Because we didn't come here to see what happens. We came here to make things happen.
