i. Biography
The Climb
Owner-chef at La Cantina de Diego in Monachil, Spain, the role sits on direct contact with the land as much as with the stove. In Diego Higueras’s case, the kitchen is not separated from production: he grows many of the vegetables served in the dining room and presses his own olive oil, so the work is built around ingredients he can make, move, and plate himself. That setup gives the restaurant a practical kind of clarity. What reaches the pass has already passed through cultivation, harvesting, and handling under the same roofline of responsibility. In Monachil, Spain, the restaurant’s identity is shaped less by claims made about sourcing than by the fact of it—an owner-chef model where the garden, the oil, and the kitchen are part of one operation.
Today
At La Cantina de Diego, the cooking starts with ingredients that Diego Higueras helps produce himself. His own olive oil and the vegetables he grows are part of the restaurant’s working grammar, not garnish to the story. The oil is a house product with the same hand behind it that runs the kitchen, and the vegetables arrive with the weight of cultivation behind them. The result is a style of cooking grounded in directness: what is served has been grown, pressed, and brought forward through the same daily practice. The restaurant’s present tense comes from that continuity between land and service. Higueras’s involvement extends beyond cookery into production, so the dining room receives the output of a system rather than a disconnected supply line. For another artisan, that is the useful detail: the work is organized around control of origin, not as a slogan, but as an operating method.
Recognition
Diego's honors include MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand (2024).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Diego
What is Diego Higueras's current role?
As of 2026, Diego Higueras is Owner-chef.
What recognition has Diego Higueras received?
MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand (2024).
What is Diego Higueras known for?
He produces his own olive oil and grows many of the vegetables served in the dining room.
