Four brothers, several generations and a shared understanding of Málaga’s culinary traditions
To talk about The Twins It is the story of a family with deep roots in the sea, fish and the hospitality industry in Málaga. A story that has grown alongside the Costa del Sol and that, after almost five decades, it continues to be based on a seemingly simple idea: to evolve without losing sight of its roots.
Today, with restaurants in various locations along the Costa del Sol and a new generation joining the business, the family looks to the future with the same values that have defined its history: quality produce, a personal touch, tradition and a distinctly Malaga-style way of enjoying life around the table.
In Skål Voices We spoke to the Montes brothers about gastronomy, tourism, family businesses, generational succession and the challenges facing a sector that has undergone profound change whilst remaining true to its roots.
Los Mellizos has been associated with Málaga’s culinary scene for over four decades. What has changed over the years in terms of how the restaurant trade is viewed, and what has remained the same?
Today’s customers are far more demanding, better informed and seek not only to eat well, but also to enjoy a complete experience. Facilities, technology, customer communication and the way businesses are run have also changed dramatically. We have had to adapt to new trends, new consumer habits and a much more competitive environment.
But there is one thing that remains unchanged: our essence. Los Mellizos was founded by a family with deep roots in fish, the sea and the hospitality industry, and that passion for the produce remains our core value. Ever since our beginnings, under the guidance of our parents, Pepe Montes and Loli Montero, we have remained committed to the quality of our ingredients – particularly fish and seafood – and to a cuisine rooted in the traditions of Málaga.
One fundamental aspect also remains: a sense of warmth and familiarity. We want our guests to feel at home, and for several generations of the same family to continue enjoying our restaurants. Our philosophy is simple: to evolve wherever necessary, but without ever losing sight of our roots.
Small fish, shellfish, rice dishes and seafood are all part of your identity. To what extent has traditional Malaga cuisine become a tourist attraction in its own right?
There is no doubt that Málaga’s traditional cuisine has become a tourist attraction in its own right. For a long time, tourism on the Costa del Sol was closely associated with the sun and the beach, but today visitors also seek to discover the destination through its flavours, its produce and its traditions.
Fried fish and skewers are probably the best examples. They are not simply dishes to enjoy whilst on holiday, but part of Málaga’s identity and culture.
For us, it is a wonderful responsibility to ensure that visitors from abroad can discover Málaga through our cuisine. A good plate of fried fish, a seafood rice dish, some prawns or a skewer of grilled fish can become part of the memories that visitors take home with them from our region. Gastronomy isn’t just an accompaniment to tourism: it can be one of the reasons for choosing a destination.
The Costa del Sol is attracting visitors who are increasingly seeking experiences rather than just sun and beaches. What role does gastronomy play in this transformation of the destination?
Cuisine plays a vital role because it allows visitors to experience a destination in a much more authentic way. The Costa del Sol is no longer marketed solely as a place for sun and beaches, but as a region with its own culture, traditions, local produce and distinct identity. And cuisine is one of the best ways to convey all of that.
Furthermore, it helps to diversify and reduce the seasonal nature of tourism. A beach is heavily dependent on the time of year, but good food can be enjoyed all year round.
We restaurants also have a responsibility in this process: to preserve our identity whilst, at the same time, making it appealing to new generations and to those who visit us from other countries. If a tourist leaves Málaga thinking about our dishes and keen to return to enjoy them again, we are helping to ensure that gastronomy forms part of the experience of travelling to the Costa del Sol.
Los Mellizos currently has restaurants in various locations along the Costa del Sol. How does it manage to grow whilst maintaining a recognisable culinary identity?
Growing whilst retaining one’s identity is probably one of the greatest challenges facing a family business. In our case, the key has been to be very clear about what we do not want to change. We can adapt our premises, introduce new ideas, use new management tools or open branches in different areas, but there are certain cornerstones that must remain: the product, quality, service and our approach to Málaga cuisine.
Each restaurant has its own character, depending on its location and clientele. It’s not the same being in the centre of Málaga, on the seafront in Marbella or in a traditional square in Fuengirola. But when a customer walks into any of our restaurants, they should immediately recognise that they are at Los Mellizos.
Furthermore, our fishmongering business enables us to oversee much of the process, from purchasing the produce right through to it reaching the table. And there is another essential element: family. Expansion is not simply a matter of opening more restaurants, but of bringing the same philosophy to every establishment.
Do you notice any differences between what local customers are looking for and what domestic or international visitors are looking for?
Yes, although there are fewer and fewer of them. Our local customers are more familiar with our cuisine; they have their favourite dishes and, in many cases, come here looking for something that’s already part of their way of life. For us, these long-standing customers are particularly important: their loyalty has been vital in helping Los Mellizos get to where it is today.
International visitors often arrive with a keen curiosity to discover the flavours unique to Málaga. Fried fish, seafood, rice dishes and Mediterranean fare can be a new experience for them and a way of getting to know our culture.
But essentially, they’re both looking for the same thing: a good product, a friendly service and an experience that’s well worth it. Our aim is to ensure that both a local from Málaga who’s been coming here for years and someone visiting us for the first time from another country leave equally satisfied.
Cuisine is also part of the image a destination projects to the outside world. Do you think Málaga and the Costa del Sol are making the most of their culinary potential?
Málaga and the Costa del Sol are making a significant effort to showcase their culinary potential, and the results are becoming increasingly apparent. Gastronomy now plays a much more prominent role in promoting the destination.
Even so, we have plenty of room for growth. Málaga boasts an enormous wealth of resources: seafood and small fish, wines, olive oils, fruit, produce from the vegetable gardens and a traditional cuisine steeped in history. The challenge is to ensure that all this heritage is recognised outside the region with the same vigour as our climate, our beaches and our cultural offerings.
We must continue to work together, institutions and businesses alike. We have produce, tradition, talent and our own unique identity; now we must turn all of that into an internationally recognised culinary brand. As restaurants, we have an important responsibility: to preserve that identity, convey it to visitors and demonstrate every day that Málaga’s cuisine deserves to be counted amongst the major attractions of our destination.
How important is it for a family-run business in the sector to be a member of a professional organisation such as Skål?
For a family-run business like Los Mellizos, being part of Skål is extremely valuable because it allows us to stay connected with the wider tourism sector, not just the catering industry. Skål brings together professionals from different fields and facilitates the exchange of experiences, contacts and opportunities at both local and international levels.
Furthermore, being a member of a professional organisation is a way of continuing to learn. The hospitality industry is constantly evolving, and sharing experiences with other professionals helps us to discover new trends, understand how tourism is changing, and spot opportunities that we might not otherwise notice in our day-to-day work.
Generational succession is one of the major challenges facing many family businesses. How is Los Mellizos ensuring the continuity of the business?
We are experiencing this generational handover in a very natural way, because it is part of our own history. We are currently the second generation at the helm of the business and are seeing the third generation – our children – join the family venture. From our parents, we have inherited not only a business, but also a set of values, a way of working and an understanding of gastronomy that we strive to uphold and pass on.
Continuity is not simply a matter of one generation replacing the previous one. What matters is that those joining the business know it from the inside and understand the hard work that goes into it. At the same time, each generation must bring its own vision and adapt to the changes of the times.
That is one of the keys to family businesses: preserving their essence without remaining stuck in the past. We must evolve in terms of management, communication, technology and our relationships with our customers.
For us, true success lies in ensuring that what began as our parents’ dream lives on with the arrival of the third generation, whilst preserving the essence of Los Mellizos but allowing each generation to write its own chapter.
What do you consider to be the main challenges currently facing the catering industry on the Costa del Sol: staff, costs, produce, sustainability, customer expectations…?
There are several, but we would particularly highlight staff, rising costs and the need to maintain ever-higher quality standards.
Talent is one of the major challenges. We are not just talking about finding staff, but about finding qualified professionals and ensuring that the hospitality industry is a sector in which they want to build a career.
Then there is the rise in costs: raw materials, energy, staff, rent… As businesses, we have to strike a balance between remaining competitive and maintaining quality. In our case, this is particularly important because the product is a fundamental part of our identity, and we do not want cost control to affect what we offer our customers.
Sustainability will become increasingly important: using water and energy more efficiently, reducing food waste and using resources responsibly.
But all these challenges also present opportunities. The Costa del Sol is currently enjoying a period of immense popularity with tourists, and its gastronomy has a great deal to offer. The challenge is to grow sustainably, to make the sector increasingly professional, and to ensure that this growth is accompanied by quality and positive customer experiences.
If you had to recommend just one dish to a visitor to help them understand the essence of Málaga’s cuisine, what would it be and why?
If we had to choose just one, we’d probably recommend a good plate of fried fish from Málaga. It’s hard to find a dish that better represents our connection to the sea, to the produce and to our traditional way of eating. Fried fish is, alongside the ‘espeto’ (skewered fish), one of Málaga’s great culinary symbols.
Deep-frying also has something about it that fits in very well with our approach to gastronomy: fresh produce, good technique and very few frills.
And it’s a dish to share. Malaga’s culinary culture is all about gathering round a table, ordering a variety of dishes and enjoying them together. A ‘fritura’ embodies precisely that: the sea, tradition, simplicity and the open, family-oriented character of Malaga.
If we could pair it with a skewer of grilled meat, we’d have practically a miniature representation of our culinary identity. But if we can only choose one, we’ll go for the fried fish.