The Salmon Guru phenomenon
Diego Cabrera makes it a trifecta with the opening of his third venue in Milan
After Madrid and Dubai, the fanciful cocktail bar and restaurant Salmon Guru lands in Milan. Sharlafied talks with Diego Cabrera, the Argentine-born captain of the project.
Hi Diego, let’s back to the beginning. What spurred you to create the first Salmon Guru in Madrid? Why the name?
The name Salmon Guru carries a deep and well-thought-out meaning, combining two key concepts that reflect the brand’s values and philosophy:
First, Salmon: In Norse mythology, the salmon symbolizes wisdom, self-improvement, and adaptability, as it swims against the current. These qualities align with the brand’s vision of constant growth and resilience. Second, Guru: Inspired by the phrase “In search of the light,” a guru is someone who acquires wisdom through time and practice. At Salmon Guru, this translates into forging their own path in the world of mixology, constantly evolving to surprise and innovate.
The cartoon inspired bar area
How are your venues in Madrid, Dubai and Milan different from each other?
Each venue has its own unique personality. Salmon Guru Madrid is an accumulation of experiences we have gathered from continent to continent, combining influences from the wild world, the creative world, comics, and Asian inspiration. It is the origin, where everything is born and created. Madrid also has its own identity with three distinct spaces, much like Dubai and Milan, but here, all the spaces are fused into one. A specific characteristic of Madrid is that there is no dancing; every guest has their own designated spot. Hospitality is a key feature that represents us across all three venues.
In Dubai, the bar is located in the middle of the restaurant, bringing customers closer to the bartenders. It’s designed as if it were a single part of a larger orchestra, creating a grand and dynamic experience. Dancing is allowed in Dubai, and the atmosphere is more festive and celebratory.
In Milan, we’ve just begun, and we’re still exploring its identity, but our goal is to adapt to the city’s unique character. Our strength in Milan will be the concept of the aperitivo, which we plan to export to the other venues. What truly defines the Salmon Guru brand is its ability to adapt perfectly to its surroundings, much like the salmon. We adjust to the destination, creating a unique experience for every location.
Sharing plates are based on world cuisine
How important is food in the overall operation?Gastronomy plays a key role at Salmon Guru. The common thread across all our venues is the seamless blend of drinks and cuisine. In a traditional restaurant, you order food and share the wine. Here, at our venues, you share the food and enjoy your own cocktail. Every dish is specifically designed to be placed at the center, encouraging sharing and fun—think tapas, for example.
Our culinary offering combines international influences and flavors with stunning presentations. We serve dishes in playful and unique ways, such as maneki-neko cat figurines holding appetizers, Indian-style bowls, or custom-made tableware designed exclusively for us. All of this is meant to ensure that food and drinks are experienced together, complementing one another perfectly.
Our entire gastronomic vision is crafted by our Executive Chef, Víctor Camargo, who ensures that the fusion of Madrid’s culinary traditions with international flavors is carried to all corners of the world. Sabrina, our chef in Milan, and George, our chef in Dubai, are the fundamental pieces that make everything work like clockwork.
CHIPOTLE CHILLÓN
A spicy mezcal sour . This cocktail was created for Salmon Guru's first menu in 2016, the spicy chipotle kick is addictive, they serve you two test tubes with different lemonades, ginger to enhance the spiciness and mint to cleanse the palate, You should give the cocktail a sip and depending on what you prefer give a sip to one of the test tubes. The glass vessel is handmade by a Lebanese artist living in Dubai. It is drunk separately— don't mix the lemonades inside
PANTERA JACKSON
This cocktail was born from the Suai Laa, a dish the team tasted on the streets of Malaysia and Vietnam during Salmon Guru Reset. It perfectly represents the idea of Salmon Guru: going out of its comfort zone to create crazy and fun things. Basically it has the same ingredients as the dessert: spicy mango, fish sauce that will give us that intense and salty counterpoint, It is clarified with keffir yoghurt and presented with a tajine rim that gives a spicy and sour touch to which pisco is added...
Are you using local bartenders or ones from your other venues?
The goal of the Salmon Guru tribe is internationality and globalization. Our team is made up of bartenders and staff from all over the world, but we always include local personnel. For instance, all our staff in Milan has been recruited locally and resides in Milan, but as in Madrid and Dubai, they hail from all around the world.
For openings, we rely on the support of teams from our other locations to ensure the new venue follows the group’s standards. For example, during the Milan opening, we had the support of Mel, our director from Madrid, and Eli, the director from Dubai, who assisted Filippo Faedda, the director of Milan. The most important thing is that they share and pass on their knowledge to one another.
Throughout the year, all of our teams support one another to maintain balance and consistency in the execution of our hospitality standards. We also participate together in international guest bartender events, forming mixed teams across all the cities where Salmon Guru is located. This collaborative and global approach is at the core of our brand’s identity.
What “Italian spin” are you putting on your Milan venue?
In a country like Italy, with such a rich and diverse culture from north to south, it was difficult to choose a detail that represents the Italian touch.
As an example, the Italian touch we’ve incorporated at Salmon Guru is reflected in two cocktails on our menu. One of them is the graphic representation of the phrase: “Tell me you’re Italian without telling me you’re Italian.” You’ll have to come to Salmon Guru to find out!
The other Italian touch is our attempt to create an Italian dish: spaghetti. But since we’re bartenders, it naturally turned into a cocktail instead. These are our playful nods to Italian culture.
OLD SCHOOL FUNNY
Salmon Guru’s take on a Negroni, with the addition of tawny port and Amontillado sherry and aged with the soleraq method. The drink is served in a flask on ice, to pour into your glass, a little at a time so it stays cold.
Do you think your location will have a bearing on Salmon Guru’s popularity?
We have, without a doubt, a privileged location in the city of Milan.
In three months, we will also have a beautiful terrace and cocktails to go, so stay tuned for more news!
What are you most excited about for this new location?
As a good Argentinian, I also have Italian roots, which give me a deep connection to the country and a special love for Italy—Milan in particular. It’s a city that has always captivated and inspired me, which brings me back to the origin, like the salmon.
Milan is the city of design, the city of fashion, and one of the most elegant cities in the world. This makes the challenge twice as big, but at the same time, so much more exciting in a city hungry for new concepts. It’s an incredibly thrilling project for us and represents a significant step forward for Salmon Guru and our brand.
What is on the horizon for the Salmon Guru Group?
The horizon? There is no horizon, just the whole world!
That said, we want our growth to be slow, steady, and meaningful. Each new location must operate successfully, fully absorb the brand’s pillars, and achieve flawless execution before we’re ready to move on to the next project. Only then will we take the next step.
The Asian room is a recurring feature across the venues
Diego Cabrera
5 rapidfire questions
Your favourite spirit (today)
Pisco and cocuy
Someone from the past you particularly admire
Juan Manuel Fangio. A compatriot of mine. For his humility and greatness.
If you were a bar tool, which one would you be?
The shaker, which shakes up the concepts and executes them on the basis of the recipe.
Where you go to get away from it all?
Inside a book. It lets you get away, anywhere, any time.
Your motto to live by?
Live and let live, by always respecting your neighbor.
Links
IG @salmonguru