(From left) Cuerdo, Leijnse, Garcia, Perez-Durantez and Miguel, who is Leijnse and Garcia’s son, at the certification presentation ceremony at Marta’s Kitchen in Lalaport Kuala Lumpur.
MARTA’S Kitchen added another feather to its cap with a second seal of approval from the Spanish government.
The restaurant received its first “Restaurants from Spain” (RFS) certification last year for its outlet in Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, and was among the first in the country to have done so.
It received a second certification by the Spanish Embassy in Malaysia for its second eatery at LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre, which opened its doors last year.
Established in 2015, Marta’s Kitchen has become popular with those who value authentic Spanish food.
It is known for homemade recipes that originate from the Spanish founder’s hometown in Salamanca.
The RFS certification – set up in 2020 by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) – is awarded to restaurants outside Spain deemed to be serving top-quality Spanish cuisine.
Obtaining the distinguishing mark involves getting the restaurant audited to determine if it meets specific criteria, which include using certified quality products from Spain and having a chef qualified to prepare Spanish dishes and come up with recipes.
Embassy of Spain economic and commercial counsellor Ines Perez-Durantez presented the certification to Marta’s Kitchen owners Marta Alonso Garcia and her husband Finn Leijnse during a ceremony at the restaurant in LaLaport.
Perez-Durantez said the award was well-deserved and a recognition of the restaurant’s hard work and commitment over the years to upholding high standards for its cuisine.
“Since the beginning, they have been offering not only typical Spanish dishes and products, but also tapas prepared in the most innovative way possible with the best traditional products.
“Selecting what is authentic Spanish cuisine and what is not, can be a difficult process.
“To solve this dilemma, ICEX created the RFS award which emerges from a strict process inspired by audit procedures and quality certification standards that ensure the excellence and hard work behind it,” she said, adding that the process went as far as taking into consideration the personality of restaurant staff.
Spanish ambassador to Malaysia Jose Luis Pardo Cuerdo, who was present at the event, said: “Marta’s Kitchen receiving this honour is also a proud moment for Spain, as it means that our gastronomy is well represented in Malaysia.
“As with both countries, we have very diverse foods from different regions and are known for our culinary heritage.
“We are very proud to have people like Marta who are great ambassadors for Spain in a food-loving country like Malaysia.
“Thanks to their hard work, the love that Spaniards feel towards tapas is here to stay in Malaysia,” Cuerdo added.
Clearly elated, Garcia and Leijnse thanked the Spanish government, their staff and Malaysians in general.
“Malaysia is a place where people can be crazy about food and it is not easy to impress them,” said Garcia.
“In fact, I am impressed by so many locals who are passionate and knowledgeable about Spanish cuisine.
“I must thank them all for their support over the years.”
For details on other certified RFS restaurants, visit www.foodswinesfromspain.com.
