Meet Your Chef: Joshua Young & Marcos Arce - San-ti

Words by Jamie Jansen

To learn more about the San-ti, or to book a table, click here.

In restaurant kitchens, mentorship is everything, learning from those who’ve been there and passing on that knowledge as you gain experience. At San-ti, the restaurant at Niramaya Spa & Villas in Port Douglas, that spirit is front and centre in the partnership between Joshua, the F&B Manager, and Head Chef Marcos.

For the pair, San-ti is more than just a workplace; it’s a bit of a dream gig. The restaurant itself makes it easy to see why: a poolside setting, warm timber details, and a lush rainforest backdrop make it feel like stepping straight into Bali. The menu blends contemporary Australian cuisine with Indonesian-inspired flavours, creating an immersive tropical experience where atmosphere and food go hand in hand. Here, Joshua and Marcos bring their energy, passion, and teamwork to every service.

Joshua has been part of the team for years, originally as a sous-chef, and after a short hiatus returned as F&B Manager, helping streamline operations and guiding the team.

With more than 25 years of kitchen experience and front-of-house knowledge, he brings a wealth of expertise.

Originally from a tiny corner of England, Joshua moved to Australia nearly two decades ago, travelling the country and gaining experience in some of its most remote and abundant regions.

“The amazing thing about being a chef is you get to work in beautiful places you’d never normally afford to visit,” Joshua says.

“You get to experience the islands, the outback, and different regional styles of cooking across Australia.”

Eventually, he fell in love with Port Douglas; the lifestyle, the people, and the sense of community have kept him rooted in the local hospitality scene.

Mentorship has shaped Joshua’s career from the start. “I began straight out of school, washing dishes and working my way up,” he says.

“Along the way, you learn that it’s the teamwork and camaraderie that keep a busy kitchen running. Learning from others has kept my passion alive and pushed me to grow.”

Joshua draws inspiration from classical French techniques, Asian flavours and, more recently, native Australian bush ingredients. His skill, particularly in Asian cuisine, has been central to shaping the San-ti menu.

For Marcus, the story starts on the other side of the world. Raised in Argentina, his love of cooking began at home during Sunday asados, long family-focused barbecues built around food and togetherness. 

Originally a cinematographer, Marcos discovered a new passion while travelling through Australia, picking up kitchen work along the way. He fell for the thrill of creating dishes from scratch and watching guests leave happy, recreating the same sense of connection and shared joy he experienced during those Sunday asados.

“For me, cooking has always been about the team around you,” Marcos says. “Everyone pulling together to create something special. That’s where the magic happens.”

Over the past three years at San-ti, Marcos has learned a great deal from Joshua, picking up tips on efficiency and organisation in the kitchen.

“Every second counts,” Marcos says. “The way we set up the workflow ensures everything runs smoothly.” 

In many ways, it’s come full circle, Marcos now applies the lessons he’s learned from Joshua while bringing his own experience and creativity to the team, creating a seamless collaboration that keeps the kitchen running like clockwork.

Joshua, in turn, admires Marcos’s precision. His cinematography background shows in the way he plates dishes, giving each one a striking, considered look.

“I’m inspired by Marcos’s eye for detail,” Joshua says. “It translates beautifully onto the plate.”

Together, their shared philosophy shapes the San-ti menu, full of bold flavours, thoughtful technique, and local ingredients, from fresh Port Douglas seafood to native fruits and spices.

What sets San-ti apart is the collective mindset. There’s no strict separation between front and back of house; everyone supports each other.

“I think the beauty of our kitchen,” Marcos says, “is that we operate as a unit, not as front or back-of-house. Everyone supports each other. The mentorship, teamwork, and shared passion are what makes it all work.”

Joshua agrees. “Being a chef is long hours, hard work, stressful moments, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The camaraderie in the kitchen, the teamwork, relying on each other through the busy service, that’s a huge part of it.”