José Cremades

Chef at La Mestiza (La Manga, Murcia, Spain)

At Grupo Cangreja, José Cremades undertakes anything from the essence of the beach bar to Murcia's most roguish gastronomy.

José Cremades worked in the kitchen at restaurants such as Neichel, Arzak and Palacete de la Seda before going back to his native Murcia. There he worked for a few years under Pablo González Conejero at Cabaña Buenavista, heading up the R+D department.

A chat with his friend, and now his partner too, Ángel Sánchez de Val, led to the emergence of La Manga La Cangreja, an advanced beach bar, in 2014. Four years later La Palera opened, seemingly a no-frills restaurant which nevertheless conceals the gastronomy that has consolidated Cremades' work. Then came Blue Fish, serving up meals with all due respect for Mediterranean produce and identity. La Mestiza opened in 2021 as the final melting-pot of the Grupo Cangreja brands.

Cangreja has now consolidated its brand with three outlets in La Manga, Cabo de Palos and Cartagena city centre, and plans are afoot to open a new beach bar in La Azohía in 2022.