Maria Jose Martinez She is from Alhama de Murcia, a town in the interior of the Region, where she grew up surrounded by chickens, fruit trees and beehives. But her destiny (and her love) took her to Valencia, where she has achieved a michelin star for his restaurant Lienzo making a kitchen strongly linked to his host land.
“We work with all the excellent products from here, to which it was not difficult for me to adapt because they are very similar to those from Murcia,” Martínez explains to DAP. “I make a signature mediterranean cuisine, tasty and sustainable”.
The cook speaks with the authority that gives her a Michelin star, awarded in the latest edition of the prestigious gastronomic guide after only eight years of travel in a restaurant that changed completely.
“They were looking for someone to take charge of this restaurant, but when we entered we didn’t really know what to do,” explains Martínez. “They had been making tapas, gastrotapas for three years. Me hated the gastrotapa concept. And we changed everything.”
In just a couple of years of filming, Martínez was nominated for Best Revelation Chef in Madrid Fusión, an award that Javier Estévez, from La Tasquería, won that year, but that made the name of Lienzo sound. Then came the Sol Repsol, the Bib Gourmand and, finally, the star. A recognition that all chefs crave and that represents a before and after for a restaurant.
“We are billing four times more and we have full daily”, explains Martínez. This is good news, which is also accompanied by a lot of work – more clients, more public presence – that you have to know how to organize without suffering the time needed to continue creating. “I usually change the menu every season, but since they gave me the star I’m a bit stuck,” acknowledges the cook, who is working on a prompt renovation of her dishes.
Murcian cook, Valencian food
Although Martínez has lived in Valencia for less than a decade, he has immediately soaked up the particular gastronomic culture of the area. And, what is more important, he has thoroughly studied the most exclusive products offeredgetting involved with local producers.
On its menu, it is served honey from the city of Valencia, the first City Council that has regulated the installation of urban hives; lamb of the Guirra breed, typical of the area; Shrimp from Santa Pola or Mediterranean hake.
“All the fish and shellfish is from the Valencia fish market, directly”, explains Martínez. “We try to look for new things that people don’t know, like peón, which is a fish similar to the anchovy. Sometimes I buy pandora that is just as good as sea bream. That elitism of certain products has been given by the human being. We have to open our eyes.”
Among the products that we find in the tasting menu we are particularly surprised by the Confit beans, a traditional Levante legume that has been recovered by the Viver Cooperative (Castellón). Due to its large size, it is reminiscent of the garrafó –the typical Valencian paella bean–, but it is much softer and more delicate. A delicacy that Martínez serves over a reduced partridge broth, with organic kale and a pepper gel. The dish that I liked the most of the meal.
A well-oiled tandem in the room
The success of Lienzo could not be explained without mentioning the partner –in life and business– of Martínez: Juanjo Soria, who acts as master of ceremonies in the room and the cellar.
Soria and Martínez met while studying at the School of Hospitality in Murcia, better known as “The fleet”, to which Martínez bounced back from the Chemistry degree. Her paths crossed, until they reached Lienzo and settled definitively in Valencia.
Just as his partner has done, Soria has gone out of his way to get to know Valencian wines in depthbut the winery also has many international references, especially German ones, for which Soria feels a special predilection – has he exchanged opinions with Yvonne Arcidiacono from Apicius?
“In pairing I take the liberty of serving wines from all over the world. I tried it with 100% Valencian and María José’s cuisine is very white and Valencia is very red. There are whites… But there is a lack of acidity, they are wines that can be made heavy”.
Lately, Soria too acts as a cocktail shaker. “They asked us for a ball of cocktails,” jokes the sommelier. “In the end we have made a letter and from there I will not leave”. We tried a Boulevardier and an Espresso Martini. Both impeccable.
Gastronomy and Valencian cuisine. Castelló, Valencia and Alicante (Series 4)
To finish, in the sweet part, Martínez brings out all his passion for honey, a product of which it is a faithful ambassador as a member of the Valencian Association of urban beekeeping. The star dessert is a thyme and lemon ganache and a honeycomb of beeswax and cream, with different honeys from the city, fresh pollen and fondillón cream. To accompany a fresh milk ice cream and a piece of honeycomb from the cook’s village beehives.
A grand sweet ending for a menu of the level that one expects to find –and does not always find– in a Michelin star.
What to ask for: Canvas has three tasting menus: a €55 menu of the day (only available at meals from Wednesday to Friday), a short menu of €75 (10 passes) and a –very– long menu of €95 (14 passes). They are moderate prices for the quality of the food. I would order the length. But I always ask for the length.
practical data
Where: Plaça de Tetuan, 18, Lower Right. Valencia.
Half price: €95/110.
Bookings: 96 352 10 81 and on their website.
Schedules: Open from Wednesday to Sunday (meals only).
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