Two AA Rosette stars in only 3 months | Success story: Marlon Sanchez

Introduction 

 Determination can be considered one of the qualities that best defines Marlon Sánchez, CIBer and Head Chef of 1711 Restaurant. Just 3 months after its opening, the restaurant has already been awarded two AA Rosette stars, a recognition that rewards culinary excellence in the UK and Ireland. At the CIB · Culinary Institute of Barcelona, we are proud to recognize all CIBers' achievements and discover the story behind their journey.

Transforming a dream into reality

Taking on the responsibility of creating a restaurant from scratch was a professional challenge for Marlon and an opportunity to make it his identity. Choosing the right name, selecting the perfect team, and capturing his vision in every inch of the place, among others, were several decisions he had to make. And so, through his authenticity, discipline, and innate curiosity, 1711 was born. 

In the creation of the gastronomic concept, Marlon was inspired by different aspects. His Filipino roots and the culinary environment in which he grew up gave him a comprehensive vision of cuisine from a very young age. On the other hand, during his experience at the CIB, he was able to learn from those who are now his mentors, such as Chef Juan Miguel Íñiguez, about techniques, products, and values. 

For him, cooking is not only about presenting a gastronomic proposal, but also about raising the value of each food, process, and technique to transmit an intention and a story through the dishes on the menu.

1711 opened in August 2023 and, in record time, the entire team worked exhaustively to achieve what would be its first recognition: two AA Rosette stars. During this process, it was necessary to soak up the daily life of the streets of England, its climate, environment, and people. On his days off, he delved into the culture and got to know life both day and night, became aware of people's desires and problems, and devised strategies to solve them. Thanks to this process, he was able to start building his gastronomic proposal.

In addition, he dedicated moments of personal reflection to question himself and discover his true essence as a person, beyond being a chef, to show his authenticity. By combining all these elements, the result was a menu that bore his stamp, with a wide range of textures, flavors, and colors, conveying his joy and curiosity to discover the world.

It makes me happy to see people enjoying our food. The smile of each diner with the first bite is priceless to me. This makes me happier than achieving any star or recognition because the risk of having it taken away from you will always exist, but the smile of the people... That stays with me for the rest of my life.

Conquering the culinary world

From an early age, Marlon discovered his passion for cooking. He was fortunate to grow up in an environment surrounded by people who were passionate about gastronomy. On the one hand, his father was a cook and had a restaurant in the Philippines, while on the other hand, his cousins were involved in the world of pastry making. These first encounters made him quickly fall in love with cooking, so he decided to save money to pursue his dream of studying it.

Marlon started his search through different schools, starting from the most typical and traditional to the disruptive. When he discovered the CIB · Culinary Institute of Barcelona, what made him decide was to see how the CIB emphasized its educational proposal towards people, instead of recipes. He describes it as “the most important investment of my life”.

This is how he decided to embark on the PCAC · Haute Cuisine Chef to turn gastronomy into his profession. As he progressed through his educational process, he realized that the recipe was not as relevant as the technique, as he highlights “Even though you may have the recipe, if you don't apply the right technique, you will get nothing”. 

It's not just about cooking, but about learning from life itself, as Marlon mentions: “Being surrounded by the best chefs is great, but it's also a real fortune when they are great people”. Marlon recalls a leadership session with Ferran Fisas, one of the founders of the CIB, in which he questioned the idea of being a good leader or being a good follower. This thought awakened in him a strong motivation to work on becoming an exemplary leader.

During his time at CIB, Marlon faced constant challenges, stepping out of his comfort zone and breaking with preconceived structures to forge a more flexible and broader view of his profession. All of this was a process of preparation for his next step, his Stage internship, which for him symbolized going out into the field to put it all into practice. As he describes it, “The CIB gave us a sword and armor to go to war. Now I had to learn how to use it properly”.

 I've always been eager to learn, that's what makes me do things without fear. Go beyond, because if you fail you know you have another opportunity to look for the victory.

 

Marlon had the opportunity to perform his Stage at Black Swan, a restaurant located in Oldstead, a town 370 km from London that has been recognized with a prestigious Michelin star. During his time there, his desire to learn, and his innate curiosity intensified, which revealed his daily determination to grow and make the most of every interaction with the work team. In addition, one of his goals was to immerse himself in the English culture and understand the environment he was in while improving his level of English. Thanks to his dedication and talent, he was hired and spent a year and a half working there. 

His determination drove him to continue growing professionally, in search of standing out and being “unique”, as he mentions. He always knew he wanted to do something where he could capture his vision in food and the value of storytelling in each of his creations. When he got the opportunity to be the Head Chef at the restaurant 1711, he immediately decided to take it.

Visioning the future

Marlon sees an optimistic future, both for his restaurant and for the sector. His idea is to find the balance in the fusion of Catalan and Asian gastronomy, as it is rarely seen in the city of York. His main objective is that people who come to try the food leave satisfied and can recommend the dishes to their acquaintances.
 
1711 is proving to be a unique opportunity to get a future project on track. The chef would like to open his restaurant, for which he has already designed a business plan. He acknowledges the value of recognition in the industry, but emphasizes that his true reason for being is to make people happy through his culinary art, regardless of the critics.

What really matters

The desire to learn and not to be afraid is the way to face change. Marlon comments that “We already have the NO. We have to bet on the YES”. It is a difficult situation given that the current gastronomic industry is still not very humanized. In several situations, Marlon wanted to give up and look for alternatives to occupy his time. The long hours, the conditions in the kitchens, and the lack of autonomy to create made the chef discouraged at times. However, he promised himself that he would change the system.
 
Today, Marlon leads a diverse team that includes staff and apprentices of all ages and experience levels. His only stipulation is that they not be in a hurry, a lesson he took away from the CIB: “Not all horses run at the same speed.  It's good to have aspirations and illusions, but you have to learn and absorb everything. In practice, Michelin stars don't matter.”
 
Marlon became Head Chef in a short time, and the first thing he learned was to open up all his senses. Taking an interest in the team, knowing if they are well, or knowing about their family is important to build strong bonds. It is significant to him that the employees are committed and happy to participate in the project, so he tries to adapt as much as possible to their availability, offering them three or four days off and respecting their free time.

 I understand that the bosses are tired. I understand that. They are exhausted. But it is not necessary to manage fatigue by shouting. We have to change and we have to cut this system.