Renowned chef Jan Santos chooses Cosentino for his new project, Espacio Umami

From banking to the kitchen. This has been the career of Jan Santos (chef for the Spanish Olympic Committee at the Paris 2024 Games), who was drawn to cooking from a young age. However, he chose economics as a profession, which led him to pursue a master's degree in Barcelona in 2004. But there, in contact with the flavours of Spanish cuisine, everything changed.

Enchanted by the flavours he had just discovered, Santos returned to his native Brazil, where he ended up opening establishments that achieved critical and public acclaim, earning several Bib Gourmand awards from the Michelin Guide, among others. After this experience, he returned to Spain with a clear idea: to teach others everything he had learned.

To expand his love for international cuisine (he had been interested in dishes and ingredients from Thailand and India since childhood, driven by a curiosity that knows no borders), Santos opened Espacio Umami, a very special cooking workshop where classes are informal and enjoyable.

So much so that the space itself resembles a home: “When I was introduced to Cosentino and had the pleasure of meeting the people behind it, who have such passion for what they do, it was like love at first sight. We sat down, talked about the project, and suddenly, the project belonged to all of us. They have invested a lot to make Espacio Umami II what it is today. We have managed to work with different materials in different areas of our home, so that it continues to maintain what I have always wanted: for it to feel like a home,” explains Santos.

To achieve this sense of warmth, Dekton Fossil was used on the worktop of one island and Dekton Reverie on the other, creating an interesting contrast between the two. The reason? The first colour blends dark grey and brown tones with subtle veining and fossilised patterns, giving an aged and organic appearance, while the second, inspired by Paonazzo stone, features a matte finish with bold veining in grey, cream, oxidised terracotta, and ink blue tones on a creamy white base, creating a sophisticated and elegant design.

Thanks to its exceptional durability (Dekton is resistant to abrasions, scratches, impacts, high temperatures, and stains), students can cook directly on the worktop. Thus, even cutting on it or placing pots straight from the stove, Santos remains at ease, knowing the surface will stay intact.

Cosentino's presence in Umami also extends to the walls: one has been clad with Sensa Platino, a natural granite sourced in Brazil to which the company applies an innovative stain-resistant treatment. Another showcases slabs of Silestone Jardin Emerald, inspired by the natural beauty of the most exclusive green marbles.

The same material and colour also extend to the bathrooms, whose washbasins are the Reflection model. “The colour we chose is very beautiful. We are very happy with all the work we have done with Cosentino,” concludes the chef.