Daniel Marreiros, a young man from Portimão, a former student at the Portimão School of Hotel and Tourism, was one of the finalists in the successful Masterchef UK the Professionals 2021 program in the United Kingdom.
From a very early age, Daniel knew that his future would be linked to the kitchen. She has always shown a special interest in cooking, which was aroused by her grandmother, who “had an immense pleasure in cooking and bringing the whole family together at the table”.
Through these childhood experiences, he realized that “cooking was a demonstration of love where no words were needed”. Moved by this desire, from an early age he ventured into the kitchen creating countless “author dishes” for his mother who, despite not always being the best experiences, approved of everything in order to encourage her passion.
In September 2009, he joined the Portimão School of Hotel and Tourism, taking the Cooking/Pastry Technician course and, as he says, “I was immediately sure I was in the right place. All that environment fascinated him, from the noise of the pans, the apron, the urgency of the orders and teamwork”.
These were three pivotal years in his life, because of the learnings, for having shared “with trainers who are great professionals and whom he admires a lot” and also for the welcoming environment that was felt at the institution.
After completing his studies, he began his professional career at a prestigious restaurant in the Algarve region. In just 8 months and at the age of 19, he became the chef de cuisine of the restaurant. He continued his journey there for another two years, but felt the need to gain more knowledge, acquire new experiences and learn about new cultures. He then decided to emigrate to the UK.
In London, he worked at places such as Kitchen W8, Purnell's Restaurant, Brasserie Chavot, The Typing Room, Koffmann's at The Berkeley Hotel and, more recently, as chef at Volta do Mar restaurant, which was awarded a Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand, in 2021 .
Masterchef has long been a referral program for Daniel. He has great admiration for the program's jury, for the challenges that competitors face and even for the criticism they receive. His desire to compete was old, however, only this year he thought he met the necessary conditions to try his luck.
To his surprise, he was selected, joined the group of competitors and reached the 6 finalists in the program. When asked what he felt when he learned they were one of the finalists, he reveals that “he never even imagined that he would be one of those selected to participate in the program, let alone be one of the finalists. I felt such gratitude, it still feels like it's not real.”
Regarding participation in the program, he describes it as “incredible, I wouldn't change anything in the process. At the beginning it was almost a 'shock' to meet Chef Marcus Wareing and Chef Monica Galetti in person. The initial contact with the cameras in the mythical skills test it was a little weird. Meeting other cooks I respect and seeing the different styles they all bring to the table was very rewarding.”
“I got to respect competitors from previous editions much more. It's much harder when we're not in the comfort of our couch! I only have positive moments to share, without a doubt that my participation in Masterchef was a very enriching experience, both personally and professionally”, explained Daniel Marreiros.
During its service, it did not forget the products and flavors of its native land. One of his creations was the dish “Bowl full of sea”, inspired by the typical “seafood platters”, very appreciated in the Algarve region. The challenge in creating this dish was to put all the ingredients in harmony, so that an explosion of sea flavors could be felt when tasting. The challenge was overcome, having managed to please the judges' palates.
After finishing his participation in the program, in the near future, Daniel Marreiros aspires to have his own restaurant. I would like this space “to have an open kitchen, so that it is possible to interact with customers, in a relaxed and fun environment”.
His biggest dream is to continue learning, developing his techniques and sharing with the world what he loves most: cooking.
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