Monday, 18 August 2025, 17:16
Who hasn’t been to La Cañada shopping centre in Marbella on the Costa del Sol? But have they followed the road up? If you do, in a few minutes you reach the hills of Sierra Blanca. There, in La Montua, next to a small natural waterfall of the Represas stream, you will find a practically hidden oasis, which is named after the waterfall and where two Parisian brothers share their passion for cooking; a sustainable and honest cuisine.
Jacques and Mathieu Lagarde became famous for their participation in the French version of the TV competition ‘Top Chef’ (Mathieu even made it to the semi-finals), but they have been committed to the land and the environment since they were very young. Their grandmother is to blame: “She did everything at home: she had her vegetable garden, her chickens, her goat to make cheese…. We raised the animals, made bread, everything from scratch. We grew up eating what she prepared and watching her work. That passed on to us a taste for craftsmanship. So much so that today it is one of the characteristics of the cuisine they offer at Cascada, where they research, test, advance in the world of fermentation and even serve cold meats made by themselves.
The Lagarde brothers make their own charcuterie.
They like to explore new flavours and textures. Pieces made with half goat and half lamb, tongue, meat or fish, with which they seek to surprise. “We love handmade work. We learnt charcuterie from a colleague in New Zealand who taught us everything and unfortunately died in an accident. Today we still do it a bit in his honour. It also allows us to achieve unique flavours and textures, different from what you get in conventional cooking. It’s a complex world, but very rewarding,” admits Jacques Lagarde, who also makes knives with his brother.
The importance of craftsmanship
“Craftsmanship is very important to us,” says the jovial chef, who is easy to spot in the restaurant greeting customers who recognise him from his participation in ‘Top Chef’: “It was an incredible experience. Mathieu made it all the way to the semi-finals, he came sixth. It had a big impact: it opened doors for us, gave us visibility and we created relationships with many important chefs in France, with whom we are still in contact. We participated in gastronomic events and, most importantly, we have maintained a good reputation ever since.
They grow a lot of the ingredients on their land, including aromatic herbs.
In his opinion, “starting is difficult, but the most complicated thing is to maintain the level over time”. Says the man who started at Cascada practically with the pandemic, washing dishes “because it was the only job there was”. He eventually became head chef and is now a partner and co-owner with Mathieu, who did not hesitate to join the team. They had just completed their training in Michelin-starred restaurants both in their native France and in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
“Life led us to stay here and put everything into this project”
“It was all very improvised, but life led us to stay here and to put everything in to this project”. Specifically, to bet on the environment and the local larder: they work with local producers, grow aromatic herbs in their own plots of land in Istán and Marbella and rely on organic farming. This commitment to the environment translates into practices such as making the most of every ingredient. For example, the onion skins are used to make bread, the fish scraps are used for fish stock and the leftover vegetables are used for snacks.
In keeping with this “farm to table” philosophy, the Lagarde brothers offer both an à la carte menu and a tasting menu consisting of five courses, priced at 85 euros, with the possibility of adding a selection of charcuterie for 20 euros and a wine pairing for 30 euros. Dishes in which authenticity… and the vegetable garden are paramount. For proof, the purple carrot confit in its own juice, served with roasted carrot purée, orange and carrot vinaigrette, or their modern interpretation of French onion soup (with homemade sourdough bread and foam made from breadcrumbs and Boffard cheese).
The restaurant entrance, part of the dining room and the site of the waterfall.
From sea bass with a beetroot glaze to his personal mille-feuille
Among the main courses, examples include sea bass, which they enhance with an earthy beetroot glaze and smoked bone stock; or sirloin, which they enrich with an infused veal base, pea puree and the nuances of aromatic herbs. To finish, there are several options to choose from, but one of the most personal is the mille-feuille of filo, Tahitian vanilla, passion fruit and crème diplomat (a light version of pastry cream with whipped cream and a touch of rum).
“Our cuisine is difficult to explain because we are inspired by nature, the seasons, travel, stories…. Technically, the base is French, but the ideas come from many places”, explains Jacques, warning that they don’t do Spanish cuisine “because there are already many good restaurants here that do it”. However, on the menu they dare to include a dessert inspired by the classic bienmesabe with sugar cane honey.
“Our cuisine is difficult to explain because we are very inspired by nature, the seasons, travel, stories…”
This is not the only menu at Cascada. Until the end of September, they have another one in a small corner in the gardens. Under the name Le Patio, this ephemeral open-air restaurant (with live music) offers the opportunity to try dishes from other seasons, such as burrata with fig confit, tomato salad with consommé or side dishes such as their famous chips with truffle mayonnaise. As well as additions such as grilled sea bass with sauce vierge, garlic jelly and lemon, accompanied by apple, yellow pepper and fennel, or slow-cooked goat’s trotter glazed with orange and bourbon.
Terrace of Le Patio, during a live music performance.
The cocktails deserve a special mention, another of the pillars of the Lagarde brothers’ gastronomic proposal. Here too, the cocktails are inspired by the fresh ingredients from their garden and farm in Istán. These range from reinvented versions of classic cocktails to innovative creations. Basically, a reflection of the philosophy that Cascada transmits. Lagarde brand.
After all, they have been working hand in hand for eight years. And with large teams. In New Zealand, for example, they managed a kitchen with more than 20 people. “It’s very natural for us to work together, we understand each other without having to talk. They only see advantages in their blood ties. In both cases, the passion for cooking has grown with experience and working alongside different chefs from all over the world.
Some of the creations by the Lagarde brothers, in which the plant world has a significant presence. Cocktails also have an important place on Cascada’s menu.
“It’s very natural for us to work together, we understand each other without having to talk”
Now they only aspire to “keep working well, maintain the level, not lose the routine or the constancy”. “We don’t have big or abstract dreams, but concrete objectives”, admits Jacques, without denying that one day getting into the Michelin Guide “would be a great achievement”. However, for them, the most important thing is to “keep a clear head and always move forward, without taking steps backwards”.
Dining and Cooking