Martin ISABAL

Chef : Ithurria As the fourth generation in a line of chefs, Martin Isabal creates Basque cuisine centered on local ingredients at Ithurria (3 toques) in Aïnhoa, drawing on produce from his own garden and local farmers. “Grand de Demain 2026.”

Presentation

Martin Isabal grew up in the restaurant founded in 1962 by his great-grandparents, Marie-Louise and Émile Ithurria. He trained under Vivien Durand at Le Prince Noir in Lormont—with whom he maintains “an almost paternal bond ”—then at Les Sources de Caudalie with Nicolas Masse and atL’Assiette Champenoise in Reims with Arnaud Lallement. In 2019, he returned to the Basque Country and joined Nicolas Borrombo at Kaïku in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. “ What stands out to me is the attention to detail and the importance of working with ingredients that are flawless. The ingredients, the attention to detail, and the joy of bringing pleasure to others.”

From Charcuterie to the Whole Animal

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he trained in charcuterie, a craft inspired by his great-uncle René Isabal, a charcutier in Biarritz. In 2021, he joined his uncle Xavier Isabal at Ithurria, where he officially took the reins in 2025. This expertise now allows him to purchase whole animals and cut them up himself . “We really select live animals together with my farmer friends.” The Basque Country, he says, is “like an open-air cold storage room.”

Basque cuisine inspired by the vegetable garden

On the Place du Fronton, Martin Isabal cooks alongside his brother Louis, the restaurant’s pastry chef. The vegetables come from a 2,000-square-meter vegetable garden, and the fish is caught locally. “ Ultimately, it’s always the vegetable garden that determines the menu.” The “Notre histoire” menu reimagines dishes created by each generation, set against the original décor ofIthurria (3 toques). “The old beams, the terracotta floor tiles—these are things that will never change. It’s a sign of humility to pay homage to our predecessors, because otherwise, we certainly wouldn’t be here.”

On June 15, 2026, he received the “Grand de Demain” award at the Gault&Millau Tour Nouvelle-Aquitaine. “ Nothing is a given. I know very well where I come from and what I want to do.”