Javi Vilchez, the 20-Year-Old Espetero Winning Over Málaga with His Skill at the Grill

At just 20 years old, Javi Vilchez has already been recognised as one of the finest espeteros on the Costa del Sol. His work at Playa Candela, a beach restaurant in Torre de Benagalbón, earned him two awards at the ninth edition of Málaga’s Espeto Route: the jury prize for best espetero and the public award for the best sardine skewer.

His success is not the result of a recent interest in the profession. Javi grew up surrounded by restaurants, boat-shaped grills and open flames, in a family closely connected to the hospitality industry and Málaga’s traditional cuisine.

Although his age surprises those who see him working with such confidence beside the fire, he has spent almost his entire life learning how to prepare sardines, handle the cane skewers and cope with the intense pace of a busy beachfront restaurant.

His story shows that making a good espeto requires much more than fresh fish. It also takes technique, speed, physical endurance and years of observing experienced professionals.

A Childhood Spent Around Restaurants and Espeto Boats

Javi Vilchez’s connection with the hospitality industry began during childhood. His father has run El Zagal restaurant in Málaga’s El Palo neighbourhood for many years, and Javi often went there after school.

While the adults finished their working day, he remained at the restaurant, watching the service, helping with small tasks and becoming familiar with the daily operation of a hospitality business.

To keep him occupied, his father would send him to help the espetero and learn how to thread sardines onto cane skewers. What began as a way to pass the time gradually became the start of a profession.

Without consciously planning it, Javi acquired the movements, precision and confidence needed to prepare fish correctly.

He later discovered that his connection with the fire had even deeper family roots. His mother told him that his great-grandfather had also worked as an espetero.

The profession was therefore already part of his family history, although Javi did not learn about that connection until years later.

From Waiter to Master of the Espeto Grill

Javi left school when he was around 15 or 16 years old. Academic life did not suit him, so he decided to begin working in the hospitality sector.

He started as a waiter, but soon began covering the espetero’s breaks and spending short periods beside the grill.

Those shifts allowed him to prove that he could prepare more than sardines. He also knew how to cook fish such as sea bass and sea bream, controlling how each piece was positioned and cooked over the embers.

His speed and natural ability convinced his father to test him during a particularly busy day, with the restaurant full and orders arriving continuously.

Javi handled the pressure successfully and eventually became responsible for the grill on a regular basis.

Since then, he says he has never been short of work. The trust initially placed in him by his family allowed him to refine his technique and demonstrate that his age was no barrier to performing at the same level as more experienced professionals.

How to Recognise a Good Sardine

For Javi, the quality of an espeto begins before the fire is lit. Selecting the right fish is essential.

The freshness of a sardine can be assessed by looking at the brightness of its eyes, the condition of its skin and the firmness of its body.

Once the product has been chosen, other factors come into play: how the fish is positioned on the cane, the amount of salt used, the intensity of the embers, the direction of the wind and the distance between the skewer and the fire.

Experience has allowed Javi to perform many of these movements automatically. He no longer needs to look at every sardine while threading it and can hold a conversation while preparing an entire skewer.

He has also developed a precise sense of timing. He can place the fish beside the fire, move on to another task and return at exactly the right moment to check the cooking or turn the skewer.

According to Javi, years of practice have improved not only the quality of his work, but especially his speed. That ability is essential during the summer, when hundreds of orders can arrive within just a few hours.

Two Awards at Málaga’s Espeto Route

The latest major milestone in his career came through his participation in the ninth edition of Málaga’s Espeto Route.

According to Javi, more than 80 establishments took part in the event. After an initial stage, the jury selected five finalists who were required to demonstrate their technique once again.

Javi ultimately received two awards. The jury unanimously selected him as the best espetero, while the public voted his sardine skewer the best in Málaga.

The public vote was particularly meaningful to him. Playa Candela does not open every day of the week, meaning it had fewer opportunities to receive votes than other establishments operating more regularly.

Despite this disadvantage, his espeto received the highest level of support.

The award also recognised the confidence placed in such a young professional by a restaurant that gave him an opportunity at a time when others doubted his ability because of his age.

His Age Once Raised Doubts, but Has Become a Strength

Being young while taking on such a demanding role has not always been easy.

Javi recalls that, at some establishments, people questioned whether he would be able to cope with the pressure of a fully booked service. His young appearance meant that he often had to prove himself before receiving the same trust as older professionals.

Busy summer days became his greatest test. The heat, the growing number of orders and the need to maintain consistent quality challenged both his technique and his endurance.

The prize achieved with Playa Candela has given him a way to respond to those who believed he was not ready.

At only 20 years old, he has helped the beach restaurant that trusted him win one of the main awards connected with Málaga’s most iconic culinary tradition.

A Profession Shaped by Heat, Smoke and Pressure

Preparing espetos may look simple from the dining table, but the working conditions are extremely demanding.

An espetero spends long hours beside hot embers, exposed to direct sunlight, smoke and very high temperatures. These conditions become even harder during the summer, precisely when beachfront restaurants are at their busiest.

The cook is also responsible for the product that eventually reaches the customer and must maintain the correct cooking point even when orders begin to pile up.

For this reason, Javi believes anyone learning the profession needs patience, resilience and a genuine interest in the work. Without motivation, it is difficult to endure the daily conditions and gain the practice required.

His main advice to beginners is not to give up when the first difficulties appear. Adapting to the fire and developing speed and precision take time.

Is the Espetero Profession Disappearing?

The shortage of younger workers has become a recurring concern among restaurants on the Costa del Sol.

However, Javi does not believe the profession will disappear completely. He compares it with other skilled trades such as plumbing, electrical work and metal turning, where fewer specialists are now available and demand for good professionals has consequently increased.

In his view, an experienced espetero who can perform during the busiest services can negotiate good working conditions.

“A good espetero earns very well. If you are good, you can ask for whatever you want,” he says when discussing the opportunities available to those who truly master the technique.

His comments highlight the need to present skilled trades as valid professional options. He believes not every young person needs to follow a university path and that practical training, entrepreneurship and specialist manual work can also provide stability and professional growth.

The profession remains demanding, however. The financial opportunities come with long hours in the sun, constant smoke, the smell of fish and significant physical effort.

What Comes Next for the Young Espeto Champion?

For now, Javi prefers not to define his future too precisely.

He does not know whether he will spend his entire career working as an espetero, although he does not rule out remaining connected to the profession. One possibility he has considered is starting his own business one day.

His experience from childhood, knowledge of the hospitality industry and recognition from the Espeto Route could provide a strong foundation for opening his own establishment.

Until then, he is certain that he will continue entering future competitions in an effort to defend his title and prove his ability once again beside the grill.

Even daily contact with hundreds of sardines has not stopped him from enjoying them. He admits that by the end of summer he reaches a point when he no longer wants to see another sardine until the following season, but he remains a genuine fan of espetos.

His story offers an encouraging response to concerns about the lack of younger professionals. In a trade where many fear that generational renewal is disappearing, Javi Vilchez shows that younger workers can still preserve one of Málaga’s most representative culinary traditions.

Information source: El Español