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In 1974, Chen Jianxin arrived in the Netherlands. Like many of his compatriots, he began his career in the restaurant industry. Two years later, he opened his first Chinese eatery in Rotterdam. Even then, he had set his sights on a clear goal: to allow Wenzhou flavours to take firm root overseas.
However, he soon discovered that Spaniards held an even more passionate relationship with food. "Spaniards live freely — they love life and delight in trying new things," he recalls. In 1984, he made the bold decision to move his family to Madrid.
In 1986, the "Jingcheng Restaurant" opened its doors in Madrid. With its stylish décor and innovative menu, it thoroughly overturned the local stereotype of Chinese dining. "Our guests ranged from celebrities and business leaders to members of the Spanish royal family — there was a constant stream of diners," he recalls. This roaring success led to a wave of new branches, and his restaurants went on to win international culinary gold awards, establishing him as a prominent figure in Spanish Chinese gastronomy.
Yet Chen refused to rest on his laurels. While most Chinese restaurants were still locked in price wars in the buffet market, he and his son took the lead in creating the first "Zen" restaurant in the suburbs of Madrid. It offered not merely traditional Chinese fare, but a fusion of diverse Asian flavours; it was not just a dining spot, but an artistic space steeped in Eastern philosophy.
"Zen" became an overnight sensation, soon securing a high-profile presence in one of Madrid's most popular five-star hotels. Their most spectacular move came next: establishing a 1,600-square-metre "Zen" restaurant in a prime location inside Real Madrid's home stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu, complete with a panoramic view of the pitch. While supporters watched the thrilling matches on the field, they could also savour authentic Chinese cuisine — a concept enthusiastically celebrated by fans as "Chinese fine dining at the Bernabéu." Today, the Zen group operates eight branches across Madrid's prime districts.
"In my restaurants, Wenzhou specialties like duck tongues, fish cakes, and stir-fried rice noodles are devoured by foreign diners with even greater relish than by Chinese guests," Chen says, his eyes lighting up whenever he speaks of his hometown cuisine.
As a doyen of the overseas Wenzhou community, he has never forgotten his roots. Though he has now handed several restaurants over to the next generation, he continues to travel frequently between China and Spain, promoting culinary and cultural exchanges between the two nations. For him, introducing Chinese gastronomy has long transcended mere commercial success. "It is a way of life," he says, "and a lifelong mission."
From Wenzhou street snacks to the Eastern "zen" within the Bernabéu, he has spent half a lifetime completing a truly remarkable culinary expedition.