Sandro Silva, passion for restoration
«Sandro Street». Not all major Groups can say that their colleagues recognize one of the most important areas of the capital of Spain with its name. Not everyone can count on having fulfilled all their dreams. Not everyone can boast of having been featured in the New York Times as owners of one of the must-see restaurants in the world, with Amazónico. Marta Seco and Sandro Silva they are a well-matched marriage. Both form the perfect tandem in front of the Group «The Umbrella». She, an economist and of Asturian blood; him, born in Brazil and cook. The couple, who began this adventure in the most romantic way, have conquered the mythical Jorge Juan Street, cradle of Madrid’s golden mile, and have touched the sky with their hands thanks to the success of their spaces.
«Marta and I met in the Plaza El Paraguas in Oviedo. When we dared to create something together and bet on our origins full of tradition and passion for good cuisine, we do not hesitate to call ourselves that. Not only because an umbrella symbolizes shelter, but because it is the source of our happiness, ”confesses Sandro.
«We are dream entrepreneurs. We dream something and we go for it. We never imagined having fame and success, everything has come naturally and without being sought. We are not ambitious, but the comfort zone is not our state. We have worked hard and brought about this moment. There is no more success than the double ‘T’: Work and talent. Above all, work, “he adds.
His love story, like his business, simmered. After passing through the kitchens of Trascorrales -the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Asturias, owned by his uncle-, and several places as a kitchen boy, Sandro decided to open his own together with Marta, who did not hesitate to leave her career for love and start to put down roots in Madrid. In 2014 it opened the doors of The umbrella (C / Jorge Juan, 16), a traditional space where quality and attention to detail made it a success and a meeting point for high society, which continues to be so today.
«My father is Asturian, like my wife. I carry tradition in my blood and I focused on what to do. In those years everyone wanted to imitate Ferran Adriá who revolutionized the kitchen with avant-garde. I, true to myself, knew that I could not and did not know how to do that, so I dedicated myself to doing what I was good at and it worked. Our first place was born as something classic, but after many years we saw that our friends were already bored and wanted more. From there to that we opened Ten with ten. At that time it was a revolution: good food, music and drinks, in one. It was a success. Things happened there and that’s what people asked for. After him, many have followed that path, “he explains.
«We have always been on the move analyzing the situation we are experiencing. When we open years later Quintín groceries We took a step back in our business plan, we created a meeting space where people could meet in the neighborhood, shop and eat, ”says Silva.
«However, with Amazonian, -continues-it was a thoughtful project. We wanted to provoke. We were looking for something fresh, green. It has been an adventure. Not only the investment that is very high, but the impact due to the great reception. There is a fusion of cultures, an exclusive jazz club and we are finishing the wine at the top. People no longer just want to eat, they want to feel, have fun and enjoy: a complete experience.
Sandro Silva firmly believes in the quality of our country and from there all his energies were focused on adding. “I miss that ours is more professionalized, because there is a lot of talent but not everything goes. In my premises there is soul and heart and my team has understood it perfectly. In front of Amazonian we have a space where we give training courses and where we make our products: there is a vegetable garden, we make bread, cheeses … We are passionate about what we do ».
Its restaurants
The umbrella
C / Jorge Juan, 16
Madrid
914315950
Price: Their morels stand out
Ten with ten
C/ Ayala, 6.
Madrid
915759254
Price: Its risotto with truffle is essential.
Quintín groceries
C / Jorge Juan, 17.
Madrid
917864624
Price: The ham and its special pizza are a delight.
Amazonian
C / Jorge Juan, 20.
Madrid
915154332
Price: Specialized in embers, both meat and fish.
«I am grateful for all this, we are in a very sweet moment and I presume that my biggest ‘Michelin stars’ are my clients, who enjoy and share their feelings wherever they go. They make us grow ”, adds the businessman.
Next projects
The “El Paraguas” Group will shortly open the doors of a new restaurant in the Velázquez street from Madrid, in the old Iroco. The concept will be more romantic, with the imposing urban garden of the premises as the protagonist.
On the other hand, the restaurant with which the couple will finish their project in Madrid is also filming. Next year, the Group will open in the Puerta de Alcalá an exclusive space with which he will close his Spanish expansion and cross the pond in search of creating new gastronomic experiences also “on the other side”.