A Catch Up with Maca de Castro
After a delicious lunch, Mar Piris catches up with the Michelin-Star Chef & President of Euro-Toques
An intimate catch-up with Michelin-star chef Maca de Castro at her Michelin-star restaurant in Alcudia, Mallorca, where sustainability, creativity, and Mediterranean tradition take centre stage. After a delicious lunch, Maca speaks with Mar Piris about tending the four gardens that supply the entire Castro Group, cooking intuitively with what the Mallorcan landscape offers, and letting menus evolve day by day. Maca also reflects on her first year as President of Euro-Toques, highlighting collaboration, regional identity, and equality among chefs — from humble bars to Michelin-star restaurants. From hand-picked produce to national gastronomic leadership, this conversation reveals a chef deeply rooted in place, passion, and people.
By Mar Piris
28/05/25
Tell us a little bit about how your garden is doing, and what you have in mind going forward.
We work with what’s nearby. Managing four gardens that supply the entire Castro Group — not just the restaurant Maca de Castro — is a challenge, but it’s also incredibly fun. The toughest part is organising weekly production so that nothing is wasted and nothing is missing. Once that’s done, cooking becomes the easy part, because we’ve worked with these products for years and know them intimately. I walk through the gardens every week. The blackberry dessert you had today, for instance — I picked those berries myself last Sunday. I look at what’s ripe, what’s ready to harvest. Sometimes, a guest requests a change, I try it, and end up liking it better. I’m very present in the moment. I don’t over-plan. I arrive, create, and there it is. The menu is constantly evolving. Yesterday, the loquat came with orange blossom ice cream. Today, it’s with pine because we ran out of orange blossom.
It’s all Mediterranean, more fresh than strictly seasonal. Some dishes stay for just a few weeks. In the end, I cook the way our mothers did: with what’s available. There’s more and more variety coming from our gardens, and animal protein has increasingly become a side component — which I think is fantastic.
Give us a brief summary of your experience as President of Euro-Toques. How has your first year been, and what does this association mean to you?
I’ve now completed my first year as President, and honestly, it’s been a wonderful experience. I’m surrounded by people who truly love this profession — out of vocation — something that can sometimes be lost in the hustle. Meeting people from small restaurants in remote towns has enriched me enormously. It’s a very different world from the one I came from — more focused on awards and big names — and this reconnects me with a more authentic side of the craft. Every region reflects its landscape and essence, and that’s something beautiful. From the beginning, we’ve aimed to promote the Balearic Islands and Murcia especially, and little by little, we’re achieving that. Murcia is responding very well, and here in the Balearics, we’re still pushing — we need more institutional support. At the end of the day, this is also about culture and tradition, and it deserves to be recognised. I was hesitant at first to take on the role, but now I feel comfortable and truly motivated. It’s a unique opportunity to bring people together — people who work daily in their restaurants — and then, for a few days, come together, share, talk, and feel like a family. That’s very special. Last year, we held meetings in Huelva and Seville to activate Andalusia. In 2025, the National Assembly will be in Murcia. The Canary Islands are also mobilising, and Madrid — led by Mario Sandoval — is very active. Seeing all the regions eager to participate and showcase their products is incredible. Spain is so diverse, it almost feels like a gastronomic continent. What I love most about Euro-Toques is that we are all equals. You can have a humble bar with a daily menu and still sit at the same table as a Michelin-starred chef. What matters is the craft, the passion, the camaraderie. We set egos aside and meet as peers. And we enjoy it, too. It’s not just about work — you have to enjoy the process, the sharing, the experience. You have to have fun! Friendship, good food, and love for what we do — that’s the heart of it.
Anything else you’d like to highlight about your work with Euro-Toques?
Just that summer is incredibly busy for everyone in hospitality, and then winter is packed with events. Our calendar is already nearly full from late September through March. Everyone is deeply involved, and I’m so grateful for the support and warm welcome I’ve received, especially being someone modest and a little shy by nature. Of course, in Mallorca, as always, it’s a bit harder to get things moving... but we keep going. Step by step.
Maca de Castro continues to lead with humility, drive, and a deep-rooted passion for her land. Whether in the garden, the kitchen, or on the national gastronomic stage, she remains a true ambassador of Mallorcan culture — one dish, one meeting, one harvest at a time.
Give us a brief summary of your experience as President of Euro-Toques. How has your first year been, and what does this association mean to you?
I’ve now completed my first year as President, and honestly, it’s been a wonderful experience. I’m surrounded by people who truly love this profession — out of vocation — something that can sometimes be lost in the hustle. Meeting people from small restaurants in remote towns has enriched me enormously. It’s a very different world from the one I came from — more focused on awards and big names — and this reconnects me with a more authentic side of the craft. Every region reflects its landscape and essence, and that’s something beautiful. From the beginning, we’ve aimed to promote the Balearic Islands and Murcia especially, and little by little, we’re achieving that. Murcia is responding very well, and here in the Balearics, we’re still pushing — we need more institutional support. At the end of the day, this is also about culture and tradition, and it deserves to be recognised. I was hesitant at first to take on the role, but now I feel comfortable and truly motivated. It’s a unique opportunity to bring people together — people who work daily in their restaurants — and then, for a few days, come together, share, talk, and feel like a family. That’s very special. Last year, we held meetings in Huelva and Seville to activate Andalusia. In 2025, the National Assembly will be in Murcia. The Canary Islands are also mobilising, and Madrid — led by Mario Sandoval — is very active. Seeing all the regions eager to participate and showcase their products is incredible. Spain is so diverse, it almost feels like a gastronomic continent. What I love most about Euro-Toques is that we are all equals. You can have a humble bar with a daily menu and still sit at the same table as a Michelin-starred chef. What matters is the craft, the passion, the camaraderie. We set egos aside and meet as peers. And we enjoy it, too. It’s not just about work — you have to enjoy the process, the sharing, the experience. You have to have fun! Friendship, good food, and love for what we do — that’s the heart of it.
Anything else you’d like to highlight about your work with Euro-Toques?
Just that summer is incredibly busy for everyone in hospitality, and then winter is packed with events. Our calendar is already nearly full from late September through March. Everyone is deeply involved, and I’m so grateful for the support and warm welcome I’ve received, especially being someone modest and a little shy by nature. Of course, in Mallorca, as always, it’s a bit harder to get things moving... but we keep going. Step by step.
Maca de Castro continues to lead with humility, drive, and a deep-rooted passion for her land. Whether in the garden, the kitchen, or on the national gastronomic stage, she remains a true ambassador of Mallorcan culture — one dish, one meeting, one harvest at a time.