The Story of Cascada

In late 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, Max Marion Renard and Benjamin Jennes — one 25, one 30 — came across an abandoned restaurant in the hills above Marbella. Neither of them had ever run a restaurant before. They had no real plan and barely any money, and they opened at a time when restaurants could only operate a few hours a day, four people to a table, two metres between each one, everyone working in masks.

They worked constantly. Eight in the morning to two the next morning, day after day. When something needed doing, they did it themselves — cleaning, painting, plumbing, cooking, serving, washing dishes. There was no team yet, no manual to follow. Just two young men, a beautiful ruin, and the stubborn conviction that they could turn it into something.

The first months were about survival. The next few years were about learning: what worked, what didn't, what a night at Cascada should feel like. They cooked through seasons, trained a team, made mistakes, tried again. Slowly the place found its rhythm — a kitchen with two brothers at its heart, a garden that came alive at dusk, a table you actually wanted to linger at.

Today Cascada is not a project anymore. It's a restaurant with a real crew — chefs, waiters, sommeliers, gardeners, musicians — each of them a piece of the story. It's the product of five years of trial and error. None of it would exist without everyone who's been part of the journey along the way.

It's also, today, one of the top-rated restaurants in Marbella on TripAdvisor, featured in the Guía Macarfi, recognised as one of the most romantic venues on the Costa del Sol, and awarded Best Wedding Venue on Bodas.net.

This story is far from over. There's more to build, more seasons to cook through, and we can't wait to see what we'll achieve next — together.