Export roast: La Cabrera grill opens a branch in Spain

Graciela Baduel

07/25/2021 6:00 AM

• Clarín.com

• Gourmet

Updated 07/25/2021 6:00 AM

Just as the Argentine businessman Alejandro Pitashny brought the concept of Fayer to Madrid, now it is

Gastón Riveira, creator of

La Cabrera

, who disembarks in Spain

, although this time in Malaga.

But just as it was a first experience for the owner of the grill and the Israeli restaurant, the mentor of the emblematic Palermo-born steakhouse is an

expert in franchising

.  

While sampling the point of the steak eye with a paradisiacal view of the Mediterranean, Riviera says that

this is the restaurant number 13 to which he puts his mark.

The others are located in Buenos Aires, La Plata, Pilar, San Salvador de Jujuy, Santiago de Chile, Asunción del Paraguay, Mexico City and Manila, Philippines. 

Riveira himself takes care of even the smallest detail.

"I supervise everything related to the menu, atmosphere and service.

I am also personally in charge of the selection of meat and suppliers since it is part of our essence.

La Cabrera IS a meat house! We are that", he reaffirms.

Riveira and his team at the Malaga branch of La Cabrera grill.

The cuts are handled "as always, choosing the best in Angus suppliers; and

here there are Argentine Angus and Spanish Angus

."

Riveira assures that they got excellent cuts and also use "matured Galician beef". 

The restaurateur

trains his teams to perfectly maintain some of the characteristics

of his formula: the variety of cuts,

the way of roasting over high heat, caramelizing the meat on the outside

, the hearty dishes and the complimentary mini garnishes.

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La Cabrera grill branches in the world

For country

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Infographic:

Clarín

But also

the relaxed and cozy atmosphere, somewhat informal, 

where very different people coexist without problems, the warm decoration, the kindness in the attention ... and even the lollipop at the end. 

What is the La Cabrera branch in Spain like

The new store has about

100 square meters

and is on number 9 Calle Bolsa,

in the historic center of Malaga

: a privileged location that connects Calle Larios with the city's famous Cathedral, just one block away.

It is also very close to the Pablo Picasso Museum, dedicated to the most universal of Malaga.

Sober and elegant,

the building where La Cabrera is located dates from 1875 and has heritage value

.

"We chose it because we consider that La Cabrera is also heritage," says the restaurant's alma mater. 

The facade of La Cabrera grill in Malaga.

Faithful to his Spanish origin and paying homage to his ancestors, Riveira says that he introduced

some hints of local gastronomy to

the menu

.

For example, grilled octopus, catch of the day and perhaps a Russian salad with shrimp, which is still in the testing stage.

"But

the backbone is still the meat

, the traditional steak eye, the chorizo ​​steak matured for 15 days, the grilled provoleta and the classic wheel chorizo", among other dishes.

Will they target locals or expats?

"We say that

La Cabrera is 'a place where Argentines identify themselves and foreigners are surprised,

'" he boasts. 

The traditional meats from the La Cabrera grill and its casseroles with garnishes and condiments.

Photo: Emmanuel Fernández.

"We want the locals to discover our gastronomy. The people of Malaga are recognized for their kindness, they like to enjoy pleasures and this is a city that receives tourism from all over Spain and Europe, so we

expect audiences from various countries. Argentines also come

, they will be especially welcome! We are sure that it will be a reunion with Argentina, here in Spain. "

How La Cabrera faces the crisis of Argentine gastronomy 

Riveira acknowledges that the franchises help him stay in Buenos Aires, where gastronomy is still badly hit by the pandemic.

"The situation in general is critical. They have been and continue to be many months. Although these are independent businesses,

clearly the Argentine grills would not survive for so many months with the income of each restaurant

."

La Cabrera de Palermo, in a pandemic with limited hours.

Photo Juano Tesone.

It coincides with the panorama described days ago by Zorrito Von Quintiero, when he had to close his Bruni restaurant.

"

The situation that gastronomic companies have always been going through is painful

, the burden of gross income, VAT, commissions from delivery applications is very high ...

and everything was substantially worsened by the pandemic,

" he says.

Although he comes from a family of lawyers, the creator of La Cabrera chose to be a chef.

The businessman was

not trained in the grill, but in haute cuisine

: in Buenos Aires he studied with Alicia Berger and later at the French school Lenôtre.

In the 90's he returned to the country and

in 2002 he founded his first restaurant

.

The same that today replicates in much of the world.

Are you thinking of continuing to open stores in other parts of Spain?

"

We are evaluating other cities in Europe, and further afield too

", Riveira raises the bet.

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