Singapore’s Spanish dining scene has quietly gained a formidable new force in the kitchen. The Olivia Group — the hospitality collective behind Olivia Restaurant & Lounge and Noa by Olivia — has appointed Michelin-trained Spanish chef Martí Carlos Martínez as Executive Head Chef, marking a defining moment for the group as it enters its next culinary chapter.

The appointment signals a deliberate and thoughtful transition. Founder chef Alain Devahive, whose career includes time at the legendary elBulli, has passed the culinary torch to Martínez — ensuring the restaurants retain their authentic Spanish soul while evolving with new creative direction.

Over the past four months, Martínez has been quietly embedded within the kitchens, refining sourcing, strengthening operations, and aligning culinary standards across both restaurants. “Olivia was built on authenticity — respecting ingredients, technique and tradition,” says Devahive. “Martí brings that same discipline and depth of experience. He understands what real Spanish cooking is about.”

Martínez’s culinary foundation reads like a tour through Europe’s most influential kitchens. Born in Barcelona, the chef trained in classical Spanish technique before honing his craft at several Michelin-starred institutions, including the three-star El Celler de Can Roca, widely regarded as one of the world’s most groundbreaking restaurants.

He later worked at the restaurants of Ramon Freixa and Sergi Arola, both awarded two Michelin stars, before becoming Sous Chef at the one-star Restaurant Gaig Barcelona. In 2017, Martínez relocated to Singapore to lead Gaig Restaurant Singapore as Head Chef — a role in which the restaurant has remained listed in the Michelin Guide since his arrival.

For Martínez, classical technique is the non-negotiable foundation of everything. “If you cannot cook classic food properly,” he says, “you cannot innovate properly.”

Raised on traditional Spanish cooking at home, his style combines heritage flavours with modern precision — a philosophy that now defines the culinary direction of Olivia Group. At Olivia, authenticity remains the guiding principle. The restaurant continues to celebrate genuine Spanish cuisine — not the tapas clichés often associated with the cuisine abroad, but the regional traditions and disciplined techniques that define Spain’s culinary culture.

While Martínez oversees the culinary strategy across both restaurants, the day-to-day kitchen at Olivia remains led by Head Chef Koh Wei Ling, who has helmed the restaurant since 2021. Seasonality drives the menu. Ingredients follow European rhythms: white asparagus and mushrooms in spring, ripe tomatoes in summer, truffles in autumn.

Since January, Martínez has introduced a rotating series of seasonal dishes that showcase both classical technique and the restaurant’s homestyle ethos. A recent winter truffle series included comforting yet refined plates such as Parmentier with eggs and black truffle, oxtail rice with truffle, and foie gras with truffle.

As the seasons change, so does the menu. New dishes arriving for March and April include:

• Stuffed morels with cream
• Asparagus garden with romesco
• Grilled artichokes and eggplant with jamón broth
• Chicken and prawn stew

The result is Spanish cooking that feels deeply rooted, yet unmistakably polished. “In Singapore, there are restaurants that love what they do, and those that don’t,” says Martínez. “Olivia does things properly — as it should be in Spain.”

If Olivia is Spain in its purest form, Noa by Olivia tells a broader Mediterranean story. Located inside Mondrian Singapore Duxton, the restaurant draws inspiration from culinary traditions spanning Italy, Greece, the Levant, and North Africa — interpreted through the same technical discipline Martínez brings from his Michelin background.

The result is a menu built on ingredient-driven compositions and clean, precise flavours.

Signature dishes include:

• Tuna loin with ajo blanco
• The Noa Bomba — a dish Martínez believes best defines the restaurant
• Beef kebab reimagined through European technique
• Mediterranean rice creations rooted in Spanish foundations

The two restaurants may share a kitchen philosophy, but their personalities remain distinct. “They are family, but not the same,” Martínez explains. “Guests should expect the same level of quality, but a completely different experience.”

The evolution of Olivia Group reflects a broader moment for Spanish cuisine in Singapore. According to Antonio García Rebollar, the growth of restaurants like Olivia and Noa plays an important role in strengthening Spain’s culinary presence in the region. Olivia itself has been recognised as one of the 15 certified “Restaurants from Spain” in Singapore — a distinction granted by ICEX Spain Trade and Investment.

With Martínez now steering the kitchens, the group’s direction is clear: respect the classics, honour seasonality, and continue building a deeper conversation around Spanish and Mediterranean gastronomy in Singapore. For diners, that means something simple yet increasingly rare — food rooted in tradition, executed with precision, and served with genuine passion.