Mario Cobretti has dedicated his entire life to magic, almost as long as he has spent in front of the stove. He currently runs the bar «El Truco» (a name that suits him perfectly), which features a menu that is 100% gluten-free and has won several awards at the Croquette Contest of Zaragoza and Province. We spoke with him about the famous jumpers croquettes, his passion for magic, and the trick to balancing it with a profession that requires so much dedication.
How long have you been working in the restaurant industry?
I have been in hospitality since 1994 and specifically in the restaurant business since 2009. I have been running this bar, for example, for almost seven years.
Why did you choose this profession?
I have always had my own business, I really like cooking, and I have also studied a bit of culinary arts. In the end, all that training helps you want to keep growing, learning, and ultimately to show people what you believe you can do very well.
What is the biggest challenge you face as a restaurant manager?
The daily routine is the biggest challenge. Every day you have to give your best, the best dishes, making sure everything is perfect and nothing is bad.
Let’s talk about the menu; all options are gluten-free.
We knew there was a significant gap in the gluten-free market in Zaragoza. There was only one 100% gluten-free option in the city. Many bars and restaurants have options, but not a place that is 100% gluten-free. Therefore, the idea was to set up everything without gluten to avoid cross-contamination. We also have vegetarian and vegan options, such as broken eggs with vegetables or some croquettes.
Additionally, the croquettes are made from surprising combinations. How did you come up with the idea of mixing such disparate ingredients?
Well, I think I’m not very sane in the sense that I like to take risks. In other areas, perhaps not, but in the kitchen, I believe I am very creative; I don’t set limits for myself, and above all, I look for coherent combinations that are also bold but without losing coherence.
Is there any dish that while you were preparing, you thought it would be a disaster, but the result ended up surprising you?
The Jumpers croquettes, for example. Not a disaster, but before arriving at the Jumpers, we had tried three other snacks, and only one of them worked well, but I still wanted something more. That’s when I developed the Jumpers one. At first, I was doing it without much faith, truthfully, thinking it would be a ridiculous dish.
So, you didn’t expect them to be so successful that people would even come to try them after seeing them on social media?
No, never. In fact, it continues to happen. Now, we make between 8,000 and 10,000 Jumpers croquettes a week. They are not large croquettes; they are the size of a jumper and we serve 10, so that would be about 800 servings a week.
What is the customers’ favorite dish?
The broken eggs with Pedro Ximénez cheek meat. Right now, it’s the dish that people request the most.
And yours?
I have several. For example, scallop ceviche or fried eggs with garlic shrimp, which is a very simple dish, but it’s delicious. Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. The truffled meatballs with almond sauce are also one of my favorites, along with the grilled octopus and Iberian pork.
“Cooking is very satisfying, especially when you work, when you sell, when people like you. But it’s also very thankless (…) Whereas in magic, people pay to see you and you make them smile.”
On the other hand, you run the restaurant with your daughter. What has it been like working hand in hand with your family? Have there been any conflicts, or are you more of the “what happens in the restaurant stays in the restaurant” type?
Yes, that’s basic, what happens in the restaurant stays in the restaurant. There have been conflicts, but working with Elena is very easy. Obviously, there are times when, as we have very similar personalities, there are conflicts, but we try to learn from our mistakes and make fewer and fewer. Besides, the relationship between her and me is very special. Elena has been working with me since she was eight years old, we do magic, hence the name of the bar (El Truco). Imagine, we’ve spent 18 years working together, so the trust and connection we have is so strong that it makes it very easy for us.
Speaking of magic, apart from being a chef, you’re also a magician. Which came first, magic or cooking?
Magic.
And if you had to choose just one?
Magic.
Why?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times, so I knew the answer very clearly. Cooking is very satisfying, especially when you’re working, when you’re selling, when people like you. But it’s also very thankless; you can do everything very well and not sell anything, or have conflicts with employees or customers. Whereas with magic, people pay to see you and you make them smile, you finish your act and everyone applauds you.
And how do you manage to combine these two passions?
As I’m my own boss and my daughter works with me, if I have to go to another city to perform, I know I can delegate to her, and if she has to accompany me, we have several employees to cover for us that day.
You say that Elena has been a magician since she was little. Did she learn from you?
Yes, but there are also things she has learned on her own. For example, at first she didn’t know about telepathy, which was one of the first things I taught her. So I told her what to do and how to do it, and at first we made a lot of mistakes, but it was also funny. I remember we would go to shows and out of 20 things people asked, she might get two wrong, but when we finished performing and she went backstage, she would start crying. I would tell her, “No, that’s much better. That way, people realize that there’s no trick, that there’s no earpiece or microphone. It’s real, you can make mistakes, I might have told you the wrong thing and you got it wrong.” We don’t have powers, we’ve just studied it.
