“Narrative” surfaces at El Txoko de Martin, Mallorca
In Palma de Mallorca, the chef Martín Berasategui inaugurated his first post-pandemic project in summer 2021: the new restaurant El Txoko de Martín. The aim of the chef with the highest number of Michelin stars in the Spanish culinary scene is to make the difficult months of the pandemic a distant memory. 200 seats and a space divided between a main hall, a private area and an outdoor area: it is going to become the city's meeting place par excellence for food and relaxation.
In Basque, the chef's native language, "txoko" means "corner". This concept refers to Berasategui’s desire to share a little of his land with the inhabitants of Mallorca, creating a small "corner" in Palma where people can taste a variety of delicacies from the Basque Country, combining tradition and innovation.
A design coming up to the culinary offer
The very location of the restaurant, in the old fishing district (Santa Catalina), inspired an interior design that follows the tradition and history of the place. Berasategui's love for Mallorca and for its Basque origins is reflected in the wood of the ceilings, the decorative details, the natural colors (such as the green and blue shades), as well as the frames on the walls portraying the chef’s family and the restaurant where he was born and raised.
Decorative surfaces
Ornamental elements with details in wood, iron, stone and ceramic play an important role. However, the true decorative feature of the restaurant lies in three large murals, created by the Majorcan company "Sublime" with the Solid Surface HI-MACS® material in the Alpine White color.
The images depict three sports, to honor Berasategui's sporting past in his homeland: traditional Basque rowing, pelota and soccer. Sublime, company of the Concord Group of Mallorca, designed the murals by means of a sublimation process performed on HI-MACS®. As stated by the company professionals, it is a complex technique by which the digital prints have been transferred in the gaseous state on the Solid Surface material, applying controlled pressure and heat inside special ovens.
Sublime's great experience with sublimation techniques made the final images totally incorporated into the material, making the artwork strong, durable and suitable for places with high foot traffic.
The result has an added value thanks to HI-MACS® further advantages: a completely smooth and pore-free surface, which guaranteed the perfect integration of the dye; the absence of joints, for an extremely hygienic finish, which simplifies the cleaning and guarantees a high level of resistance and durability in public places like this restaurant.
