New flame in the kitchen

Chef Álvaro Romero-abreu Raya joins Chef Chele González at Cantabria, bringing a soulful spark to Spanish cuisine with tradition, technique, and quiet brilliance

- FELICIANO RODRIGUEZ III

The spotlight wasn't on a dish or a wine pairing. It was on a handshake. Chef Chele González, the Spanish culinary star behind Cantabria at the Westin Manila, stood beside his new chef de cuisine, Álvaro Romero-abreu Raya, to welcome guests to an evening of food and transition. This wasn't just a tasting. It was an introduction.

Chef Álvaro's energy was quiet but infectious, his grin disarming. "We have a lot of experiences to offer in different ways," he said. "There's something for everyone. 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."

Raised in the southern port city of Cádiz, Chef Álvaro first studied law before following the call of his childhood kitchen. He learned cooking not from textbooks, but beside his grandmother and parents, spending warm afternoons in the company of simmering pots and laughter.

The career pivot led him to some of Spain's finest kitchens, including the revered Mugaritz in northern Spain, ranked among the best in the world and decorated with two Michelin stars. There, he worked on the research and development team, sharpening his craft at the frontier of Spanish culinary innovation.

Now in Manila, he brings that fusion of tradition and experimentation to Cantabria, working closely with Chef Chele to evolve the restaurant's offerings into what he calls "progressive Spanish cuisine."