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The First Steps
Meet Marvin Gauci; a renowned Maltese-born chef and restaurant concept-creator who has achieved significant success and recognition for his innovative culinary ventures and contributions to the gastronomic scene in Malta and Budapest.
“My mother was a good cook and excelled in traditional Maltese cuisine. I was only five years old when I started asking her about the various ingredients. She followed my interest by silently involving me. I began getting a feel of the basic components…the building blocks which served as a firm foundation. Mum, in turn, inherited this talent from her parents. My grandfather, Żepp tal-Kanċ, was an icon of Maltese baking.” -InsiderPlus
His career started in Ireland, where he worked at Buswells hotel and Blackbush golf club, gaining valuable experience in the culinary field. Over the years, he continued to explore different culinary experiences and projects, often taking the lead in prestigious culinary endeavours.
“Constantly ticking in his mind is food, and the pleasure of creating and sharing it in different forms, within diverse settings, and blending the whole ensemble into unique experiences. Like an artist who probes for a new colour, form or expression, he revels when he finds it, but also galvanises himself with equal verve for a novel adventure.”- MaltaCEO’s
A Legacy of Innovation and Exclusive Concepts
Since opening his first restaurant, Wild Thyme, in Xemxija, Chef Marvin’s career has followed one success after the other. With Wild Thyme already a firm favourite with patrons, the exuberant chef decided to up the ante by launching Tarragon in 2007. The restaurant is one of the biggest landmarks for local and foreign foodies, located in St Paul’s Bay and by far the most awarded restaurant on the island. Its sustainable approach and local angle have made it another definite winner with the crowd of bon vivants. Tarragon was also responsible for introducing molecular cuisine to the island, another notch on Chef Marvin’s belt.
In 2014, Caviar and Bull opened its doors in St Julian’s, the darling of the hip crowd with a menu featuring molecular gastronomy and local recipes with a twist. The signature molecular cocktails are the cherry on the cake on this unique experience.
The launch of Caviar and Bull was closely followed by that of Buddhamann in 2015, another game-changer on the scene with an upmarket Asian fusion offering right on the water’s edge. This, too went on to become one of the hippest spots on the island, until a hurricane force wind destroyed the structure. But happier times were ahead as Susurrus rose from its ashes, another unique concept that builds on Mediterranean cuisine combined with South American flavours for an avant-garde
experience.
Finally, a nod of respect to Chef Marvin’s most daring concept yet – Dinner in the Sky Malta, a highly-exclusive setup for small groups of diners to experience award- winning dishes while suspended 40m in the sky, overlooking some of Europe’s most stunning landscapes.
Chef Marvin’s experience away from Maltese shores stretches from the most cosmopolitan spots in France, Italy, Spain and the UK all the way to Greece, Austria, Ireland and more. His concepts always attracting the attention of celebrities and VIPs, this is where Caviar and Bull was taken to new heights, launching within the luxury Corinthia Hotel Budapest. The restaurant has won several awards, including best restaurant in Budapest and also best wine cellar list of the year, Chef of the Year at the Best of Budapest and Hungary Awards; for Gauci himself in 2018. Today, it is lauded as one of the must-do experiences on the Hungarian fine-dining landscape.
