Daniel Chavez is the chef and owner of OLA Cocina Del Mar, an unpretentious Spanish eatery in Marina Bay Financial Centre. Daniel’s food is simple and tasty, with a focus on fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients.

As a teenager, Daniel’s family moved from their homeland of Peru to Florida, he discovered a passion and talent for cooking. This embarked him on a journey of learning and exploration, taking him to kitchens all over the world.

In Spain, working in the Can Fabes kitchen of prominent avant-garde Spanish Catalan chef Santi Santamaria, opened his eyes to importance of cooking with seasonal produce. It was also the place where his creativity started to flourish. Daniel would go on to open Ossiano in Dubai and Santi in Singapore for the late Chef Santamaria.

A stint in the kitchens of Les Amis, under Chef Gunter Hubrechesen, introduced Daniel to French cooking techniques. It was also pivotal in helping him to understand the food loving culture of Singapore in detail.

These lessons are reflected in his cooking style today. Dishes are tasty, light and refreshing to the palate, with ingredients that complement and highlight the natural flavours of the produce. Some of these dishes are reflective of his training in Spanish cuisine, others, a homage to Peru.

Daniel has teamed up with some renowned foreign chefs for very special culinary collaborations at OLA. Highlights include the Tiger’s Milk Gang event featuring Peruvian chefs Gaston Acurio (No.7, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants; No.30, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants), Virgilio Martinez (No.1 Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants; No.4, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants), Mitsuharu Tsumura (No.2, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants; No.13, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants) and Rafael Piqueras from Maras; GGGola with Gaggan Anand (No.1, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants; No.23, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants) and Al-Andaluz X Catalan/ the OLA Pintxos Bar with Paco Morales.

Daniel’s aim is to bring the best traditional cuisine in the most relaxed atmosphere, so that you can truly feel at home at OLA Cocina Del Mar.