Roberto Martínez
Chef Roberto Martínez Foronda runs Tripea, his own Nikkei- and Chifa-influenced restaurant inside Madrid's Mercado de Vallehermoso, after stints as head chef of Nakeima and running the kitchen at Kena.
- Repsol Soles
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Roberto Martínez Foronda is a Madrid chef from Majadahonda who trained under Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (Malabar) and Mitsuharu Tsumura (Maido) in Peru, then worked at Nikkei 225, as head chef of Nakeima and in the kitchen at Kena in Madrid before founding Tripea, his own Nikkei- and Chifa-influenced restaurant inside Mercado de Vallehermoso, in 2017. Tripea holds a Repsol Sol.
From @robermartinezforonda on Instagram
one of those places I genuinely didn’t see coming, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. una mezcla que suena inesperada, pero funciona demasiado bien. platos con muchísima personalidad y un concepto que se siente distinto a todo lo demás. de las mejores sorpresas que he tenido últimamente en ma
Para el chef @robermartinezforonda , la mejor gastronomía no suele encontrarse en los restaurantes más conocidos, sino en aquellos lugares donde comen los locales. 🍽️ Los puestos de street food, los mercados y las pequeñas cocinas son el escenario perfecto para descubrir nuevos sabores, texturas y
Probando la nueva carta del restaurante Batch Batch es un restaurante muy especial para mí no solo porque sean mis vecinos en el Mercado de Vallehermoso y porque llevemos muchos años creciendo juntos. También son un equipazo de chefs que con pocos ingredientes cocinan maravillas. Esta vez he proba
Biography
Early years
Martínez is from Majadahonda, on Madrid's western outskirts, where he trained at the Instituto María de Zayas y Sotomayor culinary school starting around age 17. He worked early in his career under Darío Barrio at Dassa Bassa, then with Andrés Madrigal at Alboroque, staged at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona with the Roca brothers, and later joined Madrigal's new project, Casa América.
Career
He then moved to Peru, training in Amazonian cuisine under Pedro Miguel Schiaffino at Malabar and in Nikkei cuisine under Mitsuharu Tsumura at Maido. Back in Madrid, he worked at Nikkei 225 under Luis Arévalo (credited by Spanish press as the chef who introduced Nikkei cuisine to Europe), then spent two years as head chef at Nakeima, an Asian-fusion bar in the Gaztambide neighbourhood founded by Gonzalo García, before running the kitchen at Kena, again with Arévalo. In 2017 he opened his own restaurant, Tripea, inside Mercado de Vallehermoso in the Chamberí district, where he remains chef and owner today.
Philosophy
Martínez describes his cooking at Tripea as "market food" that blends Peruvian, Asian, and Spanish references (ceviches, baos, and dumplings served alongside more traditional dishes) built, in his words, so the diner still recognizes what they're eating.
Restaurants
Roberto Martínez in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Roberto Martínez’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·Repsol Sol, Tripea, his current restaurant (Mercado de Vallehermoso, Madrid)
- ·Repsol Sol, Nakeima, awarded during his tenure there as head chef
Frequently asked
Is Roberto Martínez still the chef at Nakeima?
No. Martínez was head chef at Nakeima for two years earlier in his career, working alongside co-chef Gonzalo García. After Nakeima he ran the kitchen at Kena with Luis Arévalo, and in 2017 he founded his own restaurant, Tripea, inside Mercado de Vallehermoso, where he is chef and owner today.
Does Roberto Martínez have a Michelin star?
No. Tripea holds a Repsol Sol rather than a Michelin star.
Where does Roberto Martínez cook now?
At Tripea, his own restaurant inside Mercado de Vallehermoso in Madrid's Chamberí district, which he founded in 2017.
What is Roberto Martínez's cooking style?
Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) and Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) fusion, shaped by his training in Peru under Pedro Miguel Schiaffino at Malabar and Mitsuharu Tsumura at Maido.
Where did Roberto Martínez train before working in Peru?
In Madrid, under Darío Barrio at Dassa Bassa and Andrés Madrigal at Alboroque, with a stage at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, before joining Madrigal's Casa América project.
Who did Roberto Martínez work with after returning from Peru?
He worked at Nikkei 225 with chef Luis Arévalo, then spent two years as head chef of Nakeima, founded by Gonzalo García, and then ran the kitchen at Kena, again with Arévalo, before opening Tripea in 2017.