Food and Drink / Lancashire Chef Profiles / Marco Calle-Calatayud

Marco Calle-Calatayud

Marco is of Catalan origin and moved to the heart of the Lake District at the age of seven, when for 11 years his father ran the Low Wood Hotel. Proving to be a bit of a wild child Marco was sent off to Austin Friars School in Carlisle and then went on to Carlisle Catering College. Arranging his own placement went to work at The Miller Howe Hotel in Windermere. He didn't return to college and remained working for John J Tovey OBE Chef Laureate 1986 for four years. Here he learnt the concept of honest cooked food that people would want to eat and enjoy. In 2006 John J Tovey OBE described Marco as "Clearly One of My Success Stories!"

From the Miller Howe Marco moved to the sister hotel, Uplands Country House Hotel, with Chef Tom Peters who had been one the head chefs at Miller Howe for 14 years Marco remained there for two years. Marco moved onto working at The Imperial Hotel (Forte-Granada Group) as Sous-chef mainly working on the al-a-carte section and found this to be real learning curve.

In 1996 Marco moved to Kingston-upon-Thames within the Granada group he took the position as head chef and opened "The Burnt Orange Restaurant" at the Kingston Lodge.

In August 1998 Marco returned to Blackpool as he was missing his wife and young daughter. Without financial backers Marco and brother-in-law Tony Beswick bought a run down pizzeria, which had not been trading for 2 years. 'Kwizeen' restaurant was opened. All produce is locally sourced and homemade, from the wholemeal Black treacle bread rolls and canapés to the ice cream and hand made chocolates.

In the first twelve months Kwizeen was one of the first restaurants in the country to take part in a fly on the wall documentary "If You Can't Stand the Heat" and found it to be a real roller coaster of ride. Since then Kwizeen has been in the AA Restaurant Guide, Which Good Food Guide and in the last four years Hardens restaurant Guide.

Over the years comments have been written by the likes of Alice Thompson (Sunday Telegraph), "Next time I am in Blackpool, I will return for another Seafood Grill!" Brian Hargreaves - Lancashire Life, "food wonderfully out of place!"

Marco has always used seasonal fresh local produce and in summer 2006 Kwizeen was recognised by "Made in Lancashire" and attained "Taste Lancashire Highest Quality Assured".

The style of food Marco serves is simply cooked, clean in taste with bold and powerful flavours. There is no garnishing on the plate, no drizzling just simple honesty with depth in flavour where all ingredients are put on the plate to be eaten and not there to enhance the look of the dish.

Marco's Catalan breeding helped him come third in the country in Restaurant Magazines "Best Dishes 2006 for Tapas", in which he used only locally sourced ingredients.

In June 2007, Kwizeen won the "Taste of Lancashire and Blackpool" category at the LBTB Tourism Awards held at the De Vere Herons Reach Hotel, Blackpool.