Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid has appointed Brian Rodríguez as the new executive chef of the hotel, a professional with a long culinary career and more than 15 years of experience in high-responsibility positions in luxury hotels and restaurants with international projection.
In his new role, Rodríguez will serve as executive chef in close collaboration with Quique Dacosta, the gastronomic director of the establishment. A specialist in creating and building high-performance teams and in designing culinary proposals that drive customer loyalty of all kinds, he will take charge of the gastronomic strategy and kitchen operations of the hotel, with the aim of reinforcing excellence, innovation, and team development.
The new head of kitchen at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz began his culinary training at the Culinary Institute of the Canary Islands and at the Basque Culinary Center, starting a career that already exceeds a decade of leadership in the luxury hospitality sector.
Before joining the iconic Madrid hotel, Rodríguez was executive chef at Hotel Vineta, in Palm Beach, part of Oetker Collection, where he participated in designing the gastronomic project from the pre-opening phase. During this period, he worked alongside management in defining the dining concepts, culinary identity, beverage programs, and service standards.
Previously, between March 2023 and June 2024, he held the position of sous chef at Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, coordinating a team of more than 60 professionals and contributing to the updating of the gastronomic proposals for both the restaurants and the events and banquets of the hotel. His connection with Four Seasons also dates back to the years 2021 to 2023, when he was in charge of the kitchen at the Adorn restaurant, in Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, leading a kitchen and service team of more than 60 people and managing a food and beverage operation with record annual revenue.
During this time, he helped the establishment be recognized as Best Hotel Restaurant in Chicago in 2022. His experience with the brand also includes his participation in Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, in the United Kingdom, where he was involved in the reopening of the Wild Carrot restaurant after a major renovation.
Before consolidating his international profile, he developed part of his career in Spain as executive chef of the Hotel Barceló Corales 5 GL, between 2018 and 2020, participating in the launch of the gastronomic proposal of the complex, with the preparation of seasonal menus and their pairing with different wine references. In addition, in 2019 he served as head chef of VIP banquets at the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London.
Rodríguez joins Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid with a culinary proposal based on respect for seasonal products, creativity, and attention to detail. His vision, combined with the joint work with Quique Dacosta, will strengthen the gastronomic offer of the hotel, which includes iconic spaces such as Deessa (with two Michelin stars), Palm Court, Pictura Bar, and the Jardín del Ritz.