Chef Q&A: Meet Marc Valles

Written by Lia Hobel | Photos by Michael Butcher

With only one exclusive seating each evening, Alias in Vint Hill treats guests to a chef’s tasting menu that evolves monthly, ensuring a fresh and intimate experience every time. Last December, Alias welcomed Chef Marc Valles to head the kitchen.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Valles brings a kaleidoscope of flavors to the table, drawing inspiration from his Hawaiian Mexican roots. Inspired by his older brother — a chef in his own right — and nurtured by the loving hands of his mother and grandmother, he preserves cherished family recipes and infuses every dish with stories of home. After relocating to Virginia with his wife and daughter two years ago, Valles quickly made his mark as executive chef at the acclaimed L’Auberge Provençale Inn & Restaurant in Boyce.

Now, at Alias, he invites diners to savor not just food, but a legacy of love, connection, and creativity, one extraordinary plate at a time.

ML: What made you want to be a head chef?  

MV: I was 16 working at a high-end café in Honolulu as a dishwasher. The pantry cook at the time walked out, and the chef needed someone to make salads and cut bread. He asked if I was willing to fill in. I thought to myself, “How hard can it be?” At that moment, I put on a chef’s coat and never took it off. I couldn’t afford culinary school, so I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. When I decided to make this my career, I applied to Alan Wong’s, the top restaurant in Honolulu at the time. 

ML: What is the best part of this new endeavor? 

MV: I come from a restaurant environment where we would serve about 250 to 300 people a night, where a 16- to 18-hour day was the norm. Here at Alias, it’s much more slowed down and I can pay a lot more personal attention to our guests, not just in terms of service but in getting to know our community and surrounding communities. The service is very intimate, meaning it provides me and my staff time to interact with the guests. 

ML: What can guests expect when dining at Alias?

MV: At Alias, we provide a service that is relaxed, approachable, and comfortable. I love to treat guests as if they are coming to my house to eat. In Hawaii, when friends come over to my house, we gather around the grill, crack open some beers, play some music, talk, and have great food. We call that “Kanikapila,” a gathering of friends. And that’s how we want guests to feel. 

ML: Any words of wisdom for our readers?

MV: My two best pieces of insight are as follows: “One hand washes the other, and together they wash the face,” from Grandma Valles. And by Sean Walsh: “Ultimately, nothing is stopping you.” ML

Published in the August 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.