On a recent trip to Panama I had the privilege of eating at Maito, the best restaurant in Panama the night that Carlos Garcia, the acclaimed Venezuelan chef, was visiting with Mario Castrellon, Chef/ owner of Maito, to collaborate on a special dinner. Here is a sampling a wonderful adventure.
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Mario Castrellon (right) studied hospitality and tourism in Sant Pol de Mar (EUHT) in Barcelona. He decided to return to Panama Castrellón with the vision of the new trends in Spain and the goal of introducing a new food to his country. After being the chef at two restaurants in Panama City, he begin to know the local palate, and decided to open his own restaurant, MAITO, where he presents his own concept of Panamanian food. Maito is the #1 restaurant in Panama.
Carlos Garcia (left) attended full kitchen studios in Hosterlería Hoffman School, in Barcelona Spain, in 1996. He completed an internship at restaurants like El Bulli (1998), the Celler de Can Roca (2005), among others. In Venezuela, in 1991 he began making inroads into several rooms, until he became chef of Malabar (2003 -2007) where he gained great recognition and respect in Caracas, with a proposed creative international cuisine. In late 2007, he opened his own restaurant: HIGH.
In 2007 he received the Golden Fork Chef of the Year distinction, granted by the Venezuelan Academy of Gastronomy. That same year opened Alto, a restaurant serving Venezuelan flavors on long tablecloth, a proposal that makes the table a social meeting point and a citizen.
Representative interprets its territory incorporating local ingredients, establishing a direct relationship with local producers. Cocoa is one of its greatest obsessions. Convinced of the value and quality of Venezuelan criollo beans, dedicated an important part of its work to promote it as an essential ingredient and flag in his speech
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