We are a Spanish and Thai couple, sharing a passion for good food and drinks and, especially, for Spanish gastronomy and wines. Apart from our passion, we share a similar background, with wide experience in the hospitality, restaurant, and service industries, having all of us worked in different countries such as Thailand, France, Italy, and (of course) Spain.
We aim to bring our love and expertise on Spanish food and wine to Bangkok and to share the amazing gastronomy and culture of Spain with locals and foreigners residing in this buzzing and lovely city.
We're looking forward to welcoming you to our "casa." ¡Hasta pronto!
Alberto has had gastronomy in mind since he was just a little boy. In his childhood, he would always help his mother in the kitchen. At the young age of 12, he had already made up his mind and informed his family that he wanted to become a chef.
A couple of years later, when he was 14, he entered the prestigious Escuela de Hosteleria y Turismo de Madrid in his hometown. Over the next five years, he learned about the fundamentals of French, traditional Spanish, and other international cuisines. During the time he was studying there, he would use his summer holidays to do internships in the kitchens of different HUSA hotels across Mediterranean Spain. After graduating with his Higher Culinary Diploma, he continued perfecting his Mediterranean cuisine skills at the Castello 9 Restaurant for 1 year, and he had his first contact with “haute cuisine” at the Cenador de Salvador (1 Michelin star) for 6 months.
After that, Alberto's career continued to grow as he became a chef for the reputed Hotel Melia Madrid Princesa, specializing in French and Mediterranean cuisine, where he worked for the following 10 years. During that period, he additionally worked part-time at two fine dining establishments in the Spanish capital: Sant Celoni (2 Michelin stars) for 3 years and Coque (1 Michelin star) for 5 years. This allowed him to broaden his cooking and organizational skills.
He continued his career at Pastelerias Mallorca, one of the most prestigious deli chains and catering corporations in Spain (the company in charge of catering for the VIP rooms at the Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid football stadiums). Here, he worked for 10 years, during which he was the executive chef and also in charge of research and development. Finally, his last job in Spain was in a management position at Mercadona, one of the biggest supermarket chains in the country, where he designed the new “ready-to-eat” line of products.
After more than 25 years of working, he decided to take a break and fulfill his dream of traveling across Asia. During this trip, he visited and experienced the cultures and cuisines of India, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, and finally Thailand. After traveling for some time around Thailand, he decided to settle here, and he was the executive chef for an Italian restaurant in Bangkok and a hotel chain in Chiang Mai before opening “El Tapeo”.
Alberto considers his cooking style to be mainly Mediterranean, in which he prioritizes the use of seasonal products. Moreover, while he is a fan of traditional Spanish cuisine, he tries to provide his recipes with a cultural fusion based on his trips and experiences. In his free time, Alberto loves reading, listening to music, playing tennis, and doing outdoor activities. As he is so passionate about food, he takes any chance he has to try new restaurants and get inspired by the different cuisines. Apart from Spanish and Thai food, he is a fan of Chinese and Korean food. Regarding his future, he sees himself staying in Thailand, where he aims to make Spanish gastronomy more popular, and growing up together with El Tapeo and Paella House.