The Culinary Tribute to Luis de Lezama

He left a profound imprint, much of it on the Costa del Sol, during a frenetic life in which he was a priest, journalist, entrepreneur, writer, and promoter of the social economy. This year, his legacy can also be felt through gastronomy. The Lezama Group will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the birth of its founder, Luis de Lezama, who passed away in 2025, with a culinary offering through which the company wants to pay tribute to its creator and to the people who have contributed their efforts; and commemorate the 30th anniversary of the legal consolidation of the Iruaritz Lezama Foundation. The proposal, "La cocina de don Luis," which can be enjoyed at the Taberna del Alabardero Marbella - located in the Castiglione development of San Pedro Alcántara - will feature various types of fish, meats, and desserts. The "Menú don Luis" will start with an Andalusian salmorejo with Iberian ham and egg; followed by hake loin with clams in green sauce and oxtail in the style of San Isidro. A caramelized rice pudding according to Aunt Margarita's recipe will be the sweet finale. The "Menú don Luis" traces the journey from the founder's Basque origins to the export of traditional Basque cuisine to the United States, passing through his Andalusian journey. The "Menú Los viajes de don Luis," which combines sole with Belon oyster in champagne and Bresse pigeon, recalls the hospitality adventure of Luis de Lezama in Switzerland, a country where, in 1982, he graduated in Hospitality Management and Planning. The "Desayuno doña Ebi," with its blood sausage from Amurrio, evokes the Basque town where the founder of the Lezama group started a rural hotel respecting the traditional canons of Basque farmhouses; while the "Menú Idilio" is a tribute to Lezama's Sevillian period during the 1992 Universal Exposition. The initiative "is a journey through the sentimental geography of the history of the Lezama Group and its foundation, but also through the personal stories of its clients. There will be those who, upon trying some of these dishes, will return to a place within themselves where they keep the best moments of their life," states Roberto Hierro, the executive chef of the Lezama Group. The Lezama Group also has establishments in Madrid and Washington.