Miguel Maestre

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Miguel Cascales Maestre (born 5 November 1979) is a Spanish-born Australian chef, restaurateur, author and television personality living in Sydney. Maestre is best known for presenting TV programmes such as Miguel's Feast, Miguel's Tropical Kitchen and Boys Weekend, and co-hosting the lifestyle television series The Living Room.

In October 2013, Maestre became an Australian citizen.

Video Miguel Maestre

Career

At the age of 21, Maestre travelled to experience the world and moved to Scotland where he began cooking and learnt to speak English. Maestre worked at Indigo Yard, Montpelier's Partnership, the biggest monopoly of restaurants in Edinburgh. Maestre then returned to Spain, before moving to Australia. He worked in some of Sydney's premier kitchens including Bather's Pavilion, Bel Mondo, Cru and Minus 5 at Circular Quay. At the age of 27, Maestre worked as Head Chef of Tony Bilson's Number One Wine Bar in Sydney's Circular Quay, where he was originally working under Manu Feildel. Following a meeting with Spanish chef Ferran Adrià at elBulli, Maestre opened Australia's biggest Spanish restaurant named El Toro Loco at Manly Beach. Maestre was head chef at El Toro Loco until he departed in 2010 following a legal stoush and the restaurant's name was changed to El Poco Loco.

Filmography

Books

Miguel's Tapas, Hardcover (2010): ISBN 978-1742570600, ISBN 1742570607, Paperback (2014): ISBN 978-1742575438, ISBN 1742575439
Spanish Cooking, Hardcover (2012): ISBN 978-1742570617, ISBN 1742570615

Maps Miguel Maestre

Awards

In 2014, Maestre was honoured by the King of Spain, Felipe VI, with the Cruz de Oficial de la Orden del Mérito Civil (Officer's Cross - Order of the Civil Merit) for his "outstanding profile and representation of Spain in the Australian media" which was presented to Maestre by the Spanish Ambassador to Australia, Enrique de Viguera, in Canberra.

Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia. 10 ...

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Charity work

Maestre is an ambassador for Cancer Council Australia and CARE Australia since 2014.

Miguel Maestre Jamon Serrano 100g | Woolworths

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Personal life

Maestre met his Australian partner Sascha while he was living and working at Indigo Yard in Edinburgh and where she was working as a waitress. They married in 2010 and have a daughter (born 2011) and a son (born 2014). Maestre has a younger brother who is a restaurant manager.