Industry Spotlight: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
September 2022
For Chef Marc Quiñones, food is a lifelong passion.
His love for food started before he could see over the stovetop.
Some of Marc's earliest memories are of following his mother around their South Bronx kitchen as she whipped up dishes filled with flavors inspired by their Puerto Rican-Dominican family.
Those experiences led him to pursue a career as a chef, and he has developed his passion at restaurants around the U.S. and in stints on the Food Network and “Hell’s Kitchen.”
Today, Marc is executive chef at MÁS Tapas y Vino at the Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he reinterprets Spanish classics with his own signature flair.
As we wrap up Hispanic Heritage Month, we caught up with Marc to talk about his background, his craft, and how he brings the two together to create amazing culinary experiences.
How has your heritage inspired your culinary style and journey?
"Growing up as a Puerto Rican-Dominican in the South Bronx, finding culinary inspiration was not too hard to find. I mean, our flavors are out of this world! It didn’t matter what was going on, my mother, Grace, would always be in the kitchen getting down with some seriously delicious dishes. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to be anything other than a chef. Even when I was a young boy, all I could ever think about was food."
Why did you choose the culinary industry? What has your journey been like?
"I didn’t choose the culinary industry, the culinary industry chose me! No, but seriously, I’ve been cooking since I was just a little dude running around all excited with an excess of energy. For as far back as I could remember, I would get supremely excited just to help marinate the meats.
My culinary journey has been one for the ages. I’ve been through so much: From the industrial kitchens of Manhattan, to golf courses in Fountain Hills, Arizona, the big island of Kona, Hawaii, the Deep South in New Orleans, right here to the Duke City of Albuquerque, where being a chef has been so rewarding. We have the best community anywhere!"
What is your signature dish at MÁS or your favorite dish to make?
"Berkshire Pork Belly with Anasazi Bean Ragout, Toasted Corn and a Sherry-Harissa Reduction is my signature dish at MÁS. It’s my love song to my mother and inspired by those little cans of pork and beans that you can find at basically any supermarket on the planet. She would make magic out of those cans. What an honor to be able to create a signature dish inspired by those humble beginnings."
Chef Marc Quiñones plated his Crispy Iberico Secreto with Manchego Cheesy Potatoes & Latin Arugula Salad on Driftstone dinnerware. “I love the shape and texture of this plate,” he says of Driftstone. “It gave me a really unique canvas to work with and I’m happy with how it came out. Iberico Pork Secreto is a very special cut found in between the shoulder blades of the black-footed pata negra acorn-fed pigs in Spain. The intramuscular fat content is truly remarkable. Fried crispy really takes it over the top and provides an unbelievable textural experience.”
What are some of the ways you continue to develop and grow as a member of the culinary industry?
"Immersing myself and our team into the heart of the local community is what I’m all about. As a result of the most amazing relationships we have built with our locals, we have been able to experience a lot of special moments that continue to help expand our platform, which then in turn allows me to include and elevate as many of our younger cooks as possible.
I’ve had the opportunity to build beautiful relationships with big brands such as Libbey that continue to help me learn more about the industry and leverage those opportunities to get our story out there and once again empower people to aim high and chase their goals.
Hands-on cooking and truly putting in the physical time working on my craft never gets old. In cooking there is always something to get better at and I’m addicted to getting better!"
Libbey proudly supports end users and is dedicated to building relationships with members of the culinary industry. To learn more and connect with Chef Marc, follow him on Instagram @chefmq and check out his restaurant, MAS, located in New Mexico!
