A FORMER Barcelona star that achieved legendary status at Middlesbrough is now enjoying huge success running restaurants – including one with a Michelin star.
This now 49-year-old ex-Spanish international came through the ranks at LaLiga club Valencia.
He won several honours there and helped them to successive Champions League finals, the second of which he scored in, although his team were beaten on both occasions.
The playmaker was snapped up by Lazio in the summer of 2001 for a whopping €47.7 million but he struggled to make an impact during his time in Italy.
A move back to Spain occurred in the 2002/03 campaign as Barcelona swooped to sign him on loan but after four goals in 33 appearances they declined to make it permanent.
But the following summer Steve McClaren managed to convince this ace to join Middlesbrough and he joined the then-Premier League side initially on loan.
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He went on to enjoy great success at the Riverside and played a key role in securing Boro’s first, and only, piece of silverware when they lifted the League Cup in 2004.
Lazio then agreed to let him leave for nothing that summer as he sealed a free transfer move to The Riverside where they went on to finish seventh in the top-flight to qualify for a second-successive season of European football.
Unfortunately for this ace he then began to suffer a number of injury problems, and he missed out on playing in the 2006 Uefa Cup Final defeat to Sevilla.
He then announced his retirement in 2008 after his Boro contract expired before embarking on a number of new business ventures.
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The player in question, of course, is Spanish icon Gaizka Mendieta.
And, he is now helping to serve up top notch Spanish food to Londoners after remaining living in England.
Mendieta is one of several investors in the popular chain Iberica, who work with Michelin-starred chef Nacho Manzano.
They have branches based in a number of high market London locations including Canary Wharf, Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Victoria.
Mendieta, who won 40 caps for Spain, is also a backer of a new paella-focused London eatery, Arros QD.
And if that was not enough, he also has a third venture with Mercado Central in Cambridge.
Speaking to City AM, Mendieta said: “I saw the business opportunity. I wanted to be involved in something that was real. I love not only the food but the learning.
“I try to be involved as much as I can in the projects, from selecting venues, how we design the space – not so much on the chefs – but I like to have input.
“I’ve always been intrigued by business. With food, I was a client of Iberica and over time I got to know some of the shareholders.
“The opportunity came there and I took it. The food took me to the business, but I love both.”
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Mendieta added: “People from Valencia who live in London come and congratulate us. Believe me, for Valencia people to do that means a lot.
“I’ve grown up with paella. I never thought it would be part of my business life eventually, but there you are. When they talked to me about paella, I said ‘hey, wait, I know a little bit about that’.”
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