They come from all over the world and have wildly varying interests, but all have one thing in common: they are key members of the team that propelled Mauro Colagreco’s Mirazur to the top of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, in June 2019. Get to know eight of the women who have been instrumental in the restaurant’s success
Florencia Montes – Chef de Cuisine
Montes is the conductor of Mirazur’s orchestra. Working seamlessly with Chef Mauro, she ensures that the kitchen is operating at its best, maintains high standards in service and rallies the troops as the brigade’s trainer and motivator.
From: La Plata, Argentina
Working at Mirazur for: 5 years
Favourite tune to work to: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Who would you invite to Mirazur for dinner: Singer Ricky Martin (let me know if you have his number!)
Favourite quote: "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun" – Katharine Hepburn
Favourite food: Anything that involves dulce de leche
Instagram: @florenciamontes_
Nathalie Dalmasso – Executive Assistant
The heartbeat of the restaurant. A key member of Mirazur since opening, Dalmasso has overseen different areas of operations, from accounting and project managing to human resources. Known as the ‘Swiss knife’ for her adaptability and resourcefulness, she has been instrumental in its rise up the 50 Best table for more than a decade.
From: Nîmes, France
Age: 47
Working at Mirazur for: 14 years
Nickname at the restaurant: Maman (Mum)
Describe Chef Mauro in one word: Persevering
Favourite de-stressor: Spending time with family
Favourite food: Artichokes with prawns
Anaïs Bencegeay – Sommelier
The entertainer. A natural host, Bencegeay has been working alongside Chef Mauro for two years, taking care of Mirazur’s wine cellar and creating customised pairings for each diner. She is a believer in excellence and in giving a personal experience to every guest.
From: Guérande, France
Age: 23
Favourite tune to work to: I Want to Break Free by Queen
Favourite tool: Carafe à vin
Who would you invite to Mirazur for dinner: Actor Jean Dujardin
Favourite quote: "Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today" – Benjamin Franklin
Describe Chef Mauro in one word: Ambitious
Instagram: @anaisbrcg
Paloma Boitier – Sous Chef
The artistic genius. Boitier is a creative spirit – a highly talented painter as well as a chef, she is Mirazur’s in-house artist as well as essential member in the kitchen, where she helps prepare menus and contributes to the design of high-quality dishes in both presentation and flavour.
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Age: 25
Working at Mirazur for: 4 years
Favourite quote: "She thought she could, so she did” – Unknown
Favourite de-stressor: Painting, drawing and singing
Instagram: @paliboitier
Natalie De Luca – Demi Chef de Rang
The engine room of the restaurant. Known at Mirazur for her smile and commitment to go the extra mile, De Luca has been working in the restaurant for three years, making sure that all guests’ requests are fulfilled and striving to anticipate their needs.
From: Bordighera, Italy
Nickname at the restaurant: Nath
Who would you invite to Mirazur for dinner: Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo
Describe Chef Mauro in one word: Passionate
Favourite food: Lasagna
Julia Colagreco – Chef’s Wife (“It’s a full-time job!”)
The charismatic leader. Working hand in glove with her husband, Colagreco’s main responsibility is to look after the happiness of her team as well as her guests. A frontrunner who the team looks up to, she communicates with the departmental managers to ensure that all parts of the restaurant are working in harmony, so that they can deliver the best possible dining experience.
From: Tubarão, Brazil
Age: Forever 25
Working at Mirazur for: 10 years
Nickname at the restaurant: Madame Colagreco
Who would you invite to Mirazur for dinner: Every client is important – it doesn't matter who they are
Favourite quote: “Better to do it once well than 10 times badly” – Julia’s grandmother
Favourite de-stressor: Running in Menton with a view of the sea
Favourite food: Anything with chocolate
Instagram: @JuliaColagreco
Valentina Capraro – Housekeeper
The star finisher. As ‘Mirazur’s fairy’, Capraro is always busy making sure that the restaurant is spotless and that it can offer the most comfortable experience to diners, supporting members of the front-of-house team whenever they need help.
From: Bordighera, Italy
Working at Mirazur for: 3 years
Nickname at the restaurant: Vale
Favourite tune to work to: Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Describe Chef Mauro in one word: Enterprising
Favourite de-stressor: Singing
Favourite food: Pizza
Laura Elena Colagreco – Editorial Director
The puppet master. After collaborating with Chef Mauro since Mirazur’s inception, the third member of the Colagreco family working at Mirazur joined the team in June 2019 to make sure all communications were on-brand and on-message. With a background in writing, she is the creative mastermind behind Mirazur’s design and publications, including all of the menus and the restaurant’s eponymous book, published in 2018.
From: La Plata, Argentina
Favourite tune to work to: Silence or the song of nature
Favourite quote: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony” – Mahatma Gandhi
Favourite de-stressor: Yoga and shiatsu massage
Favourite food: Anything cooked by my partner when I get home late at night
Instagram: @colagrecolaura
All portraits on this page are © by Matteo Carassale.
‘50/50 is the new 50’ is a content series created by 50 Best and supported by S.Pellegrino with the shared aim of promoting equality, inclusivity and balance in the hospitality sector and beyond.
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