MICHELIN Star Chef & Team - Fine Dining Restaurant in DC | Xiquet by Danny Lledó
Recipient of a Michelin Star and AAA’s Five Diamonds, Xiquet’s exceptional team offers warm, Mediterranean hospitality alongside some of the best seafood, paella and desserts in Washington DC. Enjoy the perfect wine pairing recommended by your server while you watch our world-class culinary team in the glass wood-fire kitchen.
Meet Our Team
Danny Lledó - Chef and Owner
Chef Danny Lledó is the owner of Xiquet, where his Mediterranean heritage inspires his award-winning modern Spanish tasting menu. Recipient of a Michelin Star since 2021 and AAA’s Five Diamonds since 2022, In 2023, the DC Restaurant Association awarded Xiquet with the RAMMY of Best Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year. Chef Danny is proud to continue the family tradition of culinary excellence, following in the footsteps of his father, who is an accomplished chef from Denia, Spain. Lledó also honed his restaurant skills working at top Spanish restaurants for José Andrés’ Think Food Group, Taberna del Alabardero and Botin (known for being the world's oldest restaurant).
Currently the most awarded paella chef in America, Lledó has accumulated eleven paella honors, six of which were first place awards including Best Paella at the Paella Wine & Beer Festival in Los Angeles, Best Valencian Paella at PaellaFest in Washington, D.C., and People's Choice Paella at the Paella Wine & Beer Festival in Orange County, CA. Lledó’s wins on the West Coast have garnered more invitations for him to compete internationally. He competed as a finalist at the prestigious Paella Valenciana de Sueca International Competition in 2018, as a finalist of Fideua de Gandia International Competition in 2019, and again at the Paella Valenciana de Sueca International Competition in 2019, where he won an Accèsit award.
For more information on Chef Danny Lledó visit chefdannylledo.com
Didier Fertilati - Head Consultant
Born in Nice, France, Didier has spent his career leading and elevating the service and experience of renowned restaurants throughout France and Spain. He has contributed his expertise in hospitality to many MICHELIN Star institutions such as La Chèvre d'Or (2 Stars), Le Roussillon (1 Star), La Belle Otero (2 Stars) and Le Moulin de Mougins (3 Stars), Fat Duck (3 Stars) and Quique Dacosta Restaurant (3 Stars). During his time at Quique Dacosta in Dénia, he functioned as the manager, host of the dining room, and all-around master of ceremonies for the restaurant which is counted among “The 50 Best Restaurants of The World.”
In 2018, Didier founded the gastronomic consultancy Fuego-Amigo. A dear friend of Xiquet’s Chef and Owner Danny Lledó, he has been a part of the team since Xiquet’s inception, helping to shape the memorable experience for which the restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in 2021.
Didier is passionate about wine, cheese, and cigars, as well as practicing his favorite sports, skiing, soccer, and tennis. A father of two, he loves to travel and enjoy different cultures with his family.