The former US president, iconic singer-songwriter, and Oscar-winning director had a seafood meal before Springsteen’s Barcelona gig.

If asked about their dream dinner party guests, Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen, and Steven Spielberg may appear.

On Thursday, the former president of the United States, a famous singer-songwriter, and an Oscar-winning director sat down for a meal at the Amar restaurant in the Palace Hotel in Barcelona. Thus, Barcelona waiters’ double-takes when they saw these three were unsurprising.

“The pleasure this job brings you!” captioned Pol Perello’s photo of the three men with other staff and cooks.

The last-minute reservation was made after Mr. Obama and his wife, former first lady Michelle, arrived in Barcelona on Friday evening to attend a Springsteen concert at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.

Chef Rafa Zafra of Amar informed Spanish radio station Cadena SER The reservation was made only hours in advance on the advice of the renowned Spanish-American chef José Andrés.

Mr. Zafra stated, “José Andrés called me and informed me that it was a very important table. But that we should remain silent.”

“Of course, I began my research and discovered that Obama was coming and Bruce had a concert.”

The chef added that the group was exhausted but eager to “taste everything.”

According to him, they “ate a lot” of oysters, shellfish, and caviar and “drank a little” during the supper.

“The person who behaved the best was the one who had to work today,” Mr. Zafra said about Springsteen’s concert on Friday night.

Regarding the group photo, Mr. Zafra stated, “The security personnel told us not to ask for photos, but just before leaving, President Obama entered the kitchen and told us that this was one of their best meals and asked if they could take a photo with the entire team.

The Obamas visited some of Barcelona’s most famous cultural landmarks on Friday.

The excursion was scheduled to include the Antoni Gaudi-designed Sagrada Familia Basilica and the Picasso Museum.

The former president and first lady were depicted by Spanish news outlets as they walked hand-in-hand through central Barcelona. While surrounded by a large number of security officers.

Mrs. Obama subsequently appeared on stage and sang along with Springsteen’s performance of “Glory Days” while playing the tambourine.

In 2008, Mr. Obama and Mr. Springsteen first met while campaigning for the presidency. In 2021, they hosted a podcast that led to the publication of the book Renegades: Born in the United States.