Dani Bowler is a name many of you may be familiar with but not sure where from – he was on this years BBC MasterChef, getting into the semi final heats. From the thousands who apply, to make it down to the last 10 is some achievement and one which Dani should be proud of. Although born to British parents, Dani is very Spanish, having moved to the Costa Blanca with his family at the age of 6.
He was educated here and adopted all the Spanish mannerisms and passion for good cuisine. As a child he always watched the cookery program "Ready, Steady, Cook" then ask his mother to get him a bag of ingredients so that he could experiment.... little did he know then that some two decades later it would stand him in good stead! He moved back to the UK aged 25 and worked in the hospitality industry for the next 5 years, firstly in Manchester then London. Spotting an advert for contestants for the cookery competition, he applied after encouragement from his friends – and as they say, the rest is history!
The filming took place last year, between the months of October and December and he couldn´t tell a soul! He had to carry on working as normal and on filming days ended up having to take holiday. All the contestants were under contract, with a strict gagging clause, so he couldn´t even disclose to his boss why he was taking so many odd days off – they probably thought he was going for job interviews!
Off the back of MasterChef he was highly sought after and invited to Australia where he opened a Spanish restaurant and helped create an authentic Spanish menu. Dani spent an entire month there but found it hard to settle being so far from family and his European roots and so decided to move back to his beloved España! With a taste of the drama and excitement of running a restaurant he decided to pursue his dream - and is about to open the doors of "Vintage Café" in Albir!
Superbly located on the main road, just before the municipal car-park where the Sunday morning market is held, "Vintage Café" is reminiscent of a traditional dining room. Beautifully decorated and furnished, having sourced authentic pieces, the restaurant can seat 38 diners. The restaurant will be open from 12 Noon, serving a special brunch/light lunch menu until 5pm in addition to an a la carte menu, which he plans on rotating every month with new creations.
I was also delighted to hear that he is introducing a quintessential English custom - afternoon tea! This will need to be pre-booked and you will be treated to a glass of cava, crustless sandwiches, scones and petit fours, accompanied by a pot of tea.... now that is something I am really looking forward too. Dani will be doing the cooking, incorporating some of his MasterChef recipes in the menu and also plans to start a cookery school for children – with the possibility of some basic classes for men too. Vintage Cafe should be open for business from this weekend... pop in and have a look.
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