Mario Valles
Colombian chef behind the former Hortensio and now El Patio de Claudio in Madrid, a former Olympic judo hopeful turned classical-cuisine chef.
- Restaurants
- 2
- Born
- 1977 · Dagua
Mario Valles, a Colombian chef born in Dagua in 1977, opened Hortensio in Madrid in 2015 and relocated it to the Gran Meliá Fénix hotel in 2021, running it there until March 2023. In March 2025 he took over El Patio de Claudio at Hotel Único, the Spanish bistro that replaced Ramón Freixa's two-Michelin-star restaurant there.
From @vallesmario on Instagram
Biography
Early years
Born in Dagua, Colombia, in 1977. He trained in Spain toward a spot on Colombia's Olympic judo team, an athletic path cut short by a ligament rupture in 2003.
Career
He trained in France at Georges V, Bocuse and Maison Blanche, and worked at El Celler de Can Roca and Rodero before setting up on his own. He opened his restaurant Hortensio in 2015, on Calle Marqués de Riscal. In 2021 he relocated it to the ground floor of the Gran Meliá Fénix hotel at Plaza de Colón, describing the move as a continuation of the restaurant rather than a new opening, keeping the same dishes and techniques. He ran Hortensio at the Fénix until March 2023. His path through Madrid kitchens also included a stint at Narciso. In March 2025 he took over El Patio de Claudio inside Hotel Único on Calle Claudio Coello, the Spanish bistro that replaced the two-Michelin-star restaurant Ramón Freixa had run there for 15 years before relocating to an independent address on Calle Velázquez.
Philosophy
At Hortensio, Valles combined classical and contemporary cuisine with Spanish roots, French technique, and Latin touches reflecting his Colombian origins, including ingredients like guava, rocoto, corn and lulo; there was no fixed menu, and diners chose their own way through it. At El Patio de Claudio, the cooking leans into a Spanish bistro carta built for sharing and lingering, with dishes like confit Segovia suckling pig, scallops, beef tartare and a rice with squid and red prawns.
Restaurants
On Guidavera
1Elsewhere
1Mario Valles in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Mario Valles’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·Mejor Decoración, Premios Metrópoli, El Patio de Claudio (2025)
Frequently asked
Where does Mario Valles cook now?
At El Patio de Claudio, the Spanish bistro inside Hotel Único on Calle Claudio Coello, which he has led since March 2025. Born in Dagua, Colombia, in 1977, he previously ran Hortensio.
What was Mario Valles doing before he became a chef?
He trained in Spain toward Colombia's Olympic judo team until a ligament injury in 2003 ended that path.
What happened to Hortensio?
Valles opened Hortensio in 2015 on Calle Marqués de Riscal, moved it into the Gran Meliá Fénix hotel in 2021 and ran it there until March 2023; it is no longer open.
Which restaurant does Mario Valles run today?
Since March 2025 he has also led El Patio de Claudio, a Spanish bistro inside Hotel Único on Calle Claudio Coello.
What restaurant did El Patio de Claudio replace?
It replaced Ramón Freixa's two-Michelin-star restaurant, which had run inside Hotel Único for 15 years before Freixa relocated to an independent address on Calle Velázquez.
Where did Mario Valles train as a chef?
In France at Georges V, Bocuse and Maison Blanche, and in Spain at El Celler de Can Roca and Rodero, before opening his own restaurant.