Some people arrive somewhere and never leave because they find exactly what they were looking for. Juan Miguel Cabrera joined Bahía del Duque in 2006 and, since then, has built, together with his team, a gastronomic experience that has become one of the hotel’s defining pillars. As Executive Chef, his name may not always appear in the headlines, but his influence can be found in every dish, every decision and every one of the hotel’s restaurants.
The beginnings of an unexpected vocation
Juan Miguel Cabrera grew up in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, close to the harbour, and as a child dreamed of a career at sea. Cooking entered his life almost by chance. “I started studying it almost as a hobby. I was at secondary school and combined it with vocational training in cookery,” he recalls. That blend of intellectual curiosity and practical vocation shaped, from the outset, the profile of a chef who has never stopped learning. Decades later, it remains one of the defining characteristics of his approach to the profession.
Joining Bahía del Duque
When Juan Miguel Cabrera was first offered the opportunity to join Bahía del Duque, he did not accept immediately. “I had already been approached before, but I did not yet feel ready to take on a project like Bahía del Duque,” he admits. When he finally joined, just after Easter in 2006, his emotions were mixed. “I was delighted, but I have to admit I also had my doubts.” Nearly two decades later, those doubts are long gone. As he puts it, “The change has been significant, both professionally and personally.”
A day in the kitchens of a five-star hotel
Ask Juan Miguel Cabrera what a typical working day looks like and the answer is simple: there is no such thing.
“Every day in this hotel is different, for many reasons,” he explains.
It is precisely that variety that he enjoys most about his work. Coordinating the gastronomic offering of a hotel the size and calibre of Bahía del Duque, with ten restaurants and concepts ranging from Nub’s Michelin-starred cuisine to the Mediterranean flavours of Upalupa Moments & Tastes, requires constant adaptability. For him, the greatest challenge is also the clearest: “To satisfy our guests. We approach this by doing everything we can to meet their expectations.” A philosophy that sounds simple, yet is far from straightforward in the day-to-day operation of a luxury hotel in Tenerife.
The team: the key to everything
In Juan Miguel Cabrera’s view, no achievement is ever the result of one person alone. “Without teamwork, many of our goals simply could not be achieved,” he says with conviction. The two qualities he values most in his team come without hesitation: “Commitment and flexibility.” Together, these values also reflect his own career: the commitment of someone who has spent almost twenty years maintaining the exacting standards of one of the Canary Islands’ leading hotels, and the flexibility of someone who understands that every day brings a new challenge.
Advice that stays with you
Throughout his career, two pieces of advice have had a lasting impact on Juan Miguel Cabrera. The first came during his training from a teacher who constantly emphasised the importance of lifelong learning. “Always keep studying, even subjects that have nothing to do with our profession,” he remembers. He is still in touch with that teacher and continues to learn from him, even in retirement. The second came from the first Head Chef he worked under, who met him again years later when Juan Miguel had become a Head Chef himself. “He told me never to forget where I started or how much it takes to get there. That is the way to stay grounded.” A lesson in humility that has also proved to be a recipe for lasting success.
A chef with no absolute favourite
Asked about his favourite dish, Juan Miguel Cabrera answers with the honesty of someone who has spent decades surrounded by great food. “I have many favourites, but I have a particular weakness for rice dishes at lunchtime.” And if there is one thing he especially enjoys cooking, it is the combination of “something citrusy and spicy,” he says with the brevity of someone who knows exactly what he likes. These preferences reveal much about the way he understands cooking: honest, straightforward and full of character.
A story still being written
Juan Miguel Cabrera arrived at Bahía del Duque with doubts and stayed with conviction. Nearly twenty years later, he continues to find fresh motivation in every new day. In a hotel where no two days are the same, and where the gastronomic offering ranges from the refined cuisine of La Brasserie by Pierre Résimont to the handcrafted ice creams of La Heladería, his role is to maintain the balance between excellence and everyday consistency, making Bahía del Duque one of the leading fine dining destinations in Tenerife. An essential role and, as he himself would say, one that is always different.
