Kitchenesia met Chef Ivan Muñoz, an executive chef-cum-co-owner of 1-michelin-star Chiron Restaurant in Valdemoro, Madrid. The spanish chef told us about his 15-year career and some Spanish Stereotypes that he proved wrong.
Kitchenesia.com - Born and raised in the capital Madrid, little Ivan Muñoz didn't grow up like normal city kids. While his peers played in garden, he helped his mother and grandmother cooking in the kitchen instead: from chopping veggies to stirring soup. Since then, he knew it in his gut that he wanted to cook not only as a hobby, but as an activity he depends his life on and as a profession he does forever.
His upbringing also influenced him to master traditional Spanish cuisines, as well as some family recipes he inherited from his grandmother.
Chef Ivan Muñoz celebrates Spanish cuisines and his family recipes by serving them on Chirón. It is a modern fine-dining restaurant run by Chef Ivan Muñoz as executive chef and co-owner and his brother that manages operational affairs. In Chirón, traditional Spanish cuisine is created with Chef Ivan's culinary style named Sotobosque, letting every food to be authentic yet original.
In his quick visit to Jakarta, Kitchenesia met Chef Ivan Muñoz at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Menteng, Central Jakarta. He told us many extradordinary things, and clarifying some "misleading" assumptions.
What was your childhood like?
Although I was brought up in Madrid, a capital city with fast-paced lifestyle, I had the opposite of a city-kid upbringing. I was a from a big family where 3 generations from grandparents to children are gathered under roof. That's why, it is not exagerating that my family have feast everyday (laugh).
I helped my mother and grandmother to prepare food for dinner, while other kids were playing in the backyard. My passion in cooking grew stronger as I observed my mother chopping veggies and my grandmother stirring stew. That's when I kind of struck to my head that cooking was what i really wanted to do.
So yeah, my childhood was full of lots of fightings, loud noise, but amidst of that: great food. It was so much fun.
You are the co-owner and executive chef of one-michelin-star Chiron Restaurant in Valdemoro. For our readers who can't go there, could you tell us what Chiron is?
Chiron is a tribute for Spanish traditional food that have been existed and preserved for generations. Food brings people together, including my big family.
In Chiron, my approach is honoring spanish traditional cuisine with reference of my family recipes. I also let all foods to be local by using local ingredients. Personal and local.
Chiron also adapts local hospitality with frequent interactions with guests, treating them like our own family.
Your culinary style is sotobosque. What is it and what makes it special?
Sotobosque means undergrowth, where seasoning herbs like rosemary, truffle, and several kinds of mushroom grow wildly there. It is also where I spent my entire childhood.
Thus, sotobosque reflected combinations of ingredients and seasonings to bring authentic flavours of the nature. Local and natural.
Article continues after video below.
During your quick visit to Jakarta, have you found your favorite local food?
I just literally arrived last night (laugh). But I have tried sate (i.e skewered beef) and it is really delicious. It is like bite-sized version of barbecue.
There is a Spanish food myth that says "Spanish foods are all hot to the point they burn your tongue". Could you confirm this?
Well (laugh), I think public are still mistaken Spain for Mexico, and vice versa. Spanish and Mexican speak the same language and we share some culture. But it doesn't extend to all aspect, and food is one of them.
Spanish foods are not that spicy, if you put it in Asian standard. Even the spiciest like chorizo is still harmless. So yeah, burrito and enchiladas are not from Spain, they are Mexican (laugh).
During you 15 years experience in kitchen and culinary business, could you tell us your most unforgertable experience? And what's your next plan?
When my restaurant was listed in one-star Michelin. It is even still unbelievable for me. And of course, when my guests are satisfied with Chiron's service and foods.
Making Chiron's guests satisfied and loyal, that's my plan.
