Quick Facts
Biography
Miguel Maestre (born 5 November 1979 in Murcia, Spain), son of Florentina and Antonio Luis, is a Spanish-born Australian chef, restaurateur, author and television personality. 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.
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
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Miguel's Tropical Kitchen | Presenter | 13 episodes |
| 2009 | Boys Weekend | Presenter | 13 episodes |
| 2009 | Ready Steady Cook | Guest Chef/Himself | 1 episode |
| 2011 | MasterChef Australia | Guest Chef/Himself | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield | Guest Chef/Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2014-2015 | Miguel's Feasts | Presenter | 11 episodes |
| 2012-present | The Living Room | Presenter | 140 episodes |
| 2016 | Have You Been Paying Attention? | Guest Quiz Master/Himself | 1 episode |
| 2016 | All Star Family Feud | Himself | 1 episode |
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
- ^ Staff writer, Eat South Bank. "Spanish Passion". Eat South Bank. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ Staff writer, Miguel Maestre. "Miguel Maestre: bio". Miguel Maestre. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- Staff writer, Lifestyle Food. "Miguel Maestre: Celebrity chef". Lifestyle Food. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- Staff writer, Regional Flavours South Bank. "Miguel Maestre". Regional Flavours South Bank Parklands. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- Durack, Terry (1 February 2010). "El Toro Loco". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
- Gardiner, Stephanie (8 April 2011). "Off the boil: TV chef's AVO stoush at El Toro Loco". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
- Dale, Amy (8 April 2011). "Celebrity chef Miguel Maestre AVO taken out by Nelson Ng dismissed in court". The Daily Telegraph. News Corporation. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
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 "outstandng 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.
Charity work
Maestre is an ambassador for Cancer Council Australia and CARE Australia since 2014.
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 named Claudia (born 2011) and a son named Morgan Miguel (born 2014).
Maestre has a younger brother named Carlos who is a restaurant manager.