When Chele Gonzalez introduced his hometown Cantabria by way of his restaurant at The Westin Manila in Ortigas last year, his invitation clearly pointed north.

A little over a year since he first opened the splashy Spanish restaurant that pays homage to his roots, Gonzalez now brings both ends of the Iberian country’s spectrum with a new chef de cuisine hailing from the sunny port city of Cádiz.

“It’s a little bit similar to Cantabria because we also have an abundance of seafood. There are also mountains and greenery,” says the affable and always smiling Álvaro Romero-abreu Raya.

“There are many seafood stews and pastas in Cádiz, which is due to Roman influence, Musulman (Muslim) culture, and Italian culture,” he explains about Cádiz’s rich food culture where cumin, Spanish paprika, oregano, coriander seeds, and anise are regularly used.

“Even in the heat, we enjoy stews.”

But while Romero-abreu Raya has been instrumental in the transformation of Cantabria alongside Gonzalez—thanks to his experience and background as part of the research and development team of two Michelin-star Mugaritz—the towering chef didn’t initially look to get into foodservice in the first place.

“Cádiz is a little bit similar to Cantabria because we also have an abundance of seafood. There are also mountains and greenery,” says the affable and always smiling Álvaro Romero-abreu Raya

“There were people who asked me if I was sure about joining the hospitality industry because it requires long hours and hard work,” explains the former law student. “I just said yes.”

“I remember my first day: The first thing I was asked to do was to make meatballs for 200 people. That didn’t scare me at all. They liked the food I prepared, and they asked me to make other dishes—one after the other. I’d say that first day in the kitchen, even with that high level of pressure, I was very happy.”

During the media preview with Romero-abreu Raya, I got a sense of the breadth of both his gentle attitude that references the Andalusian climate as well as his general aptitude for transforming Spanish fare and taking on challenges that eventually led him to helming Cantabria.

Between Gonzalez and Romero-abreu Raya, the most important information about their collaboration is that their culinary compositions ricocheted in various flavor directions—from a juicy oyster with crisp apple foam sourness to a creamy bite of tortilla panipuri with caramelized onion.

There’s also a terrific salmon tartar upended by a thick jalapeño emulsion and coconut cream as well as Gonzalez’s heavenly baby squid ink stew with potato textures (soft, dense, creamy, and velvety with each bite) that is reminiscent of the homecooked dishes from his childhood.

“We’ve created a menu that can make people feel like they’re staying in Spain without staying in Spain. I feel that, too. I feel like I’m at home,” says Romero-abreu Raya

Elsewhere, the two chefs’ coherent efforts pulsate into twin peaks: the first, their tartaleta steak tartar gets an energy boost from the addition of truffle egg yolk and ikura, and second, a new fish offering on the set menu that seems to cast the full meal option in a more Japanese light with its fresh slices of tuna in Andalusian gazpacho with pickles and confit tomato.

“We’ve created a menu that can make people feel like they’re staying in Spain without staying in Spain. I feel that, too. I feel like I’m at home,” says Romero-abreu Raya.

So will Romero-abreu Raya be capturing more of our attention with his fresh stint at Cantabria? Judging from our little conversation with the Spanish newcomer, he might just make more Filipinos talk about his strengths as a chef as much as his potential to be a rising figure in the industry.

Can you talk a bit about how you found yourself here in Cantabria?

I have a friend who I worked with in a Michelin-star restaurant in Sevilla. It’s called Abantal by Julio Fernández. Then last year, he began to work with Chele. One time, during one of our conversations, I mentioned I always thought about working somewhere in Asia. I wanted to work outside for more experiences, learn new things, experience new cultures. [I was] always joking, “When will you take me to the Philippines with you?” Then one day, he said to me, “Send me your CV.” And now I’m here.

“One time, during one of our conversations, I mentioned I always thought about working somewhere in Asia. I wanted to work outside for more experiences, learn new things, experience new cultures. [I was] always joking, “When will you take me to the Philippines with you?” Then one day, he said to me, ‘Send me your CV.’ And now I’m here”

What are your initial thoughts about the Philippines and the food industry since arriving?

Everything is new to me. At first, I felt like a child discovering the world. Even though there were people here who kept saying that I learn fast or that I’ve immersed myself in the culture faster than most have in such a short time, I still feel that I have a lot to learn, understand, and experience.

One of the things I noticed is how the ingredients and products are very different. For example, I made the traditional Basque Country cheesecake, [which] I really enjoy. I used my own recipe. I noticed that the local cream cheese is sweet compared to the ones we use in Spain, which is also moist. That made me realize how different Filipino taste is. Now I am more mindful and considerate of that.

Could you describe how you and Chele collaborate here at Cantabria?

Chef Chele is like my mentor. When collaborating on menus, for example, we always discuss ideas. I run some kitchen trials before I report back to him. He would give me suggestions on how to improve the taste and presentation.

What was your approach in crafting the new Cantabria set menu?

The new Cantabria set menu builds on what has been offered before. It includes almost all of the dishes found in Cantabria but composed like a tasting experience. Because sometimes when you go to a restaurant, you want to try more things but can’t because the portions are too large. [With the set menu], you can have different bites of Cantabria, and enjoy them with a cocktail. It’s a nice introduction to the Cantabria experience.

Can you recommend a new dish (or two) that diners shouldn’t miss here?

The jarrete de ternera asado I think is very nice. If you are a meat lover, it’s one of the dishes you should try. We cure it for five hours then we cook it all night, slowly in the oven, to make the meat very tender. Then, we just bake it and glaze it with its own juices. It comes with mashed potato and sautéed vegetables, and we put the bone marrow with the sauce. Also, one of my favorites is the chocolate souffle with pistachio and calabaza toffee. It’s a combination of hot and cold.

What inspires you when you cook or when you come up with new dishes?

I just think of a few elements and try to work around them because simplicity is most important to me. I don’t like having too many ingredients or components in my dishes. I believe that less is more. What’s essential are texture, technique, and, most importantly, making each dish taste rich and flavorful.

Have you had a chance to delve into Filipino cuisine? Any standout discoveries from the Philippines that surprised you?

Yes, I have. I tried some Filipino restaurants and I liked it. The way Filipino and Spanish people cook is very similar in some things, but it’s more on the flavor and the natural ingredients that we differ—like when I tried buko for the first time or sugarcane. Some of the local delicacies here that I love are chicharon, sinigang, lechon, and sisig. I also tried a lot of pulutan. (laughs).

Visit www.cantabriamanila.com to view the menu and reserve a table. Follow @cantabria.manila and @westinmanilahotel on Facebook and Instagram for updates and announcements