Álex Marugán
Chef and owner of Tres por Cuatro, a market-driven restaurant in Madrid's Salamanca/Goya area recognized by the Michelin Guide as a Bib Gourmand.
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Álex Marugán is the chef and owner of Tres por Cuatro, a market-driven restaurant in Madrid's Salamanca/Goya area that holds a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand distinction. He opened it in 2017 as a small stand inside Mercado de Torrijos, relocating to Calle de Montesa 9 in March 2021. His cooking draws on training in Madrid and time spent in Mexico's Yucatán region and in Saint-Tropez, blending Spanish home-style dishes with Mexican, nikkei, and French influences.
Biography
Early years
Marugán, born in Madrid, played football before turning to cooking, training at the Escuela Superior de la Casa de Campo. He then worked abroad, including time in Mexico's Yucatán region, at an Italian-owned restaurant serving Mexican-Mediterranean food with fresh pasta and bread made daily, and in Saint-Tropez, where he learned nikkei cuisine under Luis Arévalo. He has also worked alongside Madrid-based chef Omar Malpartida.
Career
In 2017, at 25, Marugán opened Tres por Cuatro as a small stand inside Madrid's Mercado de Torrijos. In March 2021 the restaurant relocated to its current premises at Calle de Montesa 9, in the Salamanca/Goya area, in a larger space with natural light and an expanded kitchen. The Michelin Guide lists Tres por Cuatro as a Bib Gourmand, its distinction for good food at moderate prices.
Philosophy
Marugán describes his approach as personal cooking built on tradition and quality raw ingredients, reworked with contemporary and experimental touches rather than following passing trends. The menu is split between a fixed section of long-running dishes, including torreznos and a pibil-style ossobuco taco, and a rotating seasonal section built around market produce.
Álex Marugán in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Álex Marugán’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, Tres por Cuatro
Frequently asked
Does Álex Marugán have a Michelin star?
No. His restaurant, Tres por Cuatro, holds a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes good food at moderate prices, rather than a star.
Where did Álex Marugán train before opening Tres por Cuatro?
He trained at Madrid's Escuela Superior de la Casa de Campo and worked in Mexico's Yucatán region and in Saint-Tropez, where he learned nikkei cuisine under Luis Arévalo, alongside Madrid chef Omar Malpartida.
Where is Tres por Cuatro located?
At Calle de Montesa 9, in Madrid's Salamanca/Goya area, after relocating there in March 2021 from its original stand inside Mercado de Torrijos.
What kind of food does Tres por Cuatro serve?
Market-driven Spanish home cooking with Mexican and Peruvian-nikkei touches: long-running dishes like torreznos and callos alongside a rotating seasonal menu.
How old was Álex Marugán when he opened Tres por Cuatro?
He was 25 when he opened it in 2017 as a tiny stand inside Madrid's Mercado de Torrijos.
What did Álex Marugán do before becoming a chef?
He played football before turning to cooking and training at Madrid's Escuela Superior de la Casa de Campo.