At Cayuga, food is never just food.
It is shaped by land, by people, by everything that came before it.
We don’t just build hotels—we restore ecosystems.
At Arenas Del Mar, that philosophy now takes shape in the kitchen.
At the center of it is Marsia Taha—one of Latin America’s most compelling culinary voices.
Chef Marsia, named Latin America’s Rising Star Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best
The Chef Who Listens to the Land
Marsia does not begin with recipes. She begins with questions.
Named Latin America’s Rising Star Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best, her work has taken her across the Amazon and Andes—documenting ingredients and traditions on the edge of disappearance.
Her project, Sabores Silvestres (Wild Flavours), is grounded in one belief: before you innovate, you must understand.
Now in Costa Rica, she is not just shaping dishes.
She is studying the ecosystem they come from.
Chef Marsia at Playitas Beachfront Restaurant
Research as the First Ingredient
For Marsia, cooking starts long before the kitchen.
She has spent time in the rainforest, with farmers, and along the coast—learning how ingredients grow, when they thrive, and how they are used.
Cacao. Native roots. Coastal herbs. Tropical fruits.
Not accents—foundations.
The result is not a menu inspired by Costa Rica,
but one built from it.
Two Perspectives. One Vision.
Transformation takes alignment.
At Arenas del Mar, Marsia’s vision comes to life through two distinct expressions—each shaped by the chefs who lead them.
Playitas — Led by Chef Tamara Araya
By the ocean, the approach is immediate.
Instinctive and expressive, Tamara brings clarity to beachfront dining—where freshness leads and simplicity is deliberate.
Fresh catch. Bright acidity. Minimal intervention.
Nothing unnecessary. Nothing hidden.
Mirador — Led by Chef Gilbert Ramirez
Above the canopy, the perspective shifts.
Precise and composed, Gilbert translates research into refinement—ensuring technique never overshadows the ingredient.
Local coffee. Coastal fish. Wild herbs.
Handled with precision and restraint.
Each contributes a different strength. Together, they create balance.
Sustainability You Can Taste
At Cayuga, gastronomy is one of our clearest expressions of regeneration.
Every ingredient sourced locally strengthens a community.
Every seasonal choice respects the rhythm of the land.
Every dish becomes an act of restoration.
This is Luxury Rewilded—on a plate.
As Marsia reflects:
“This was a process of exploration and collaboration—a true expression of Costa Rica.”
A New Culinary Chapter
This is more than a new menu.
It’s a deeper way of thinking about food—rooted in place, shaped by research, and carried out with intention.
At Arenas Del Mar, sustainability is not a concept.
It is something you can taste.
For more information, contact us at [email protected].
