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Malibu, known for its rugged coastal bluffs, ocean views, surf culture, and rolling hills that turn into a green wonderland during the rainy season, bears a strong resemblance to Spain’s northern region of the Basque Country, which borders France.
This was the specific reason why Sébastien Pourrat and his wife Sofie chose to call Malibu home. Born and raised in the French Basque Country, Sébastien developed a refined palate from a young age. Last summer, in addition to visiting my hometown of Madrid, I went on a culinary tour of the Basque Country — which also included a stop in Sébastien’s hometown of Biarritz.
Despite Sébastien’s upbringing in France, his tiny mart, Casita Basqueria, is an ode to the Spanish Basque Country – renowned for having one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world.
On Instagram, Sébastien can be seen cooking at private events – pinching salt to a paella, serving Basque cheesecake on a communal table, and cooking over a wood fire with postcard views of the Santa Monica Mountains in the background.
Casita Basqueria offers premium Spanish chips, espadrilles, olive oils, ham, Sébastien’s espelette salt, canned fish, home goods, and other specialty pantry items from Spain. Customers will also find homemade cookies at the register. However, Casita Basqueria’s main draw is Sébastien’s sandwiches, which went viral on Instagram and TikTok, and even earned a write-up on the Los Angeles Times.
The sandwiches change daily and are usually sold out within the hour. That Saturday, it was the wood-fired steak sandwich: pan de cristal bread imported from Spain, thinly shaved steak paired with well-seasoned greens, a touch of Sébastien’s homemade salt, and a tangy garlic-tomato mayo that tied everything together. Sébastien’s background as a chef truly shines through in the meticulous way he assembles the sandwiches, which he makes 50 to 100 a day.
Don’t forget to pair your sandwich with premium Spanish chips and a coffee. The Galician potato chips Bonilla a la Vista are the “crème de la crème,” said Sébastien. “They’re the most expensive chips in the world.”
I got there at 12. After the hour-long drive, I sighed with relief as Sébastien pulled out a satchel of wrapped sandwiches and laid them on the counter. But the earlier you go, the better! There is no pre-order system and no set menu.
I enjoyed my sandwich and chips on the wooden chair outside beneath a tree, overlooking the green hills as fog hovered over them. A middle-aged man in an Audi pulled over. “You got a sandwich,” he said. “Lucky you!” he said as he rushed to the mart.
Casita Basqueria is located on a gorgeous, verdant parcel called Surf Canyon, home to more creative businesses and office spaces. This is also where Sébastien’s upcoming bakery and coffee shop will be located – so stay tuned!
In this interview, we explore Sébastien’s story and how he and his wife Sofie wound up in Malibu after 10 years of living in New York.
Hello Sébastien, could you tell us more about Basqueria?
Basqueria is about the Basque Country meeting California. It’s very similar. We have the mountains, the ocean, and food culture. My idea after living in NY for 10 years was to go back to the shore — but in the US. We also have the Spanish influence coming from Mexico, as well as from Spain.
The idea is based on a couple of pillars: “Come to Casita Basqueria, and Basqueria will come to you,” and “Basqueria in your pantry.” I’m also doing private parties, events and brand collabs.
I make the salt, it is my staple. The only thing I didn’t see coming were the sandwiches, which went viral on Tiktok, Instagram, Infatuation… everywhere. But at the end of the day, this is more than just food, it’s a lifestyle. It’s very exciting. My background is in the traditional restaurant world, and a couple years before COVID, I realized how limiting it was. This is limitless because I’m exploring everything. I’m also opening a bakery and coffee shop here very soon. That’s why I’m trying to explore the world I’m creating, so it is very interesting.
Ten years in NY is a lot. Even though my restaurant was very successful, I wanted another life. I wanted to be closer to my roots, which is obviously in the Basque Country, but I wanted to stay in the US, and California is very similar to where I grew up.
In Malibu, I’ve been cooking for a lot of families and doing a lot of events. The surf culture is also big in the Basque Country, and the connection was great in Malibu.
How did the idea of opening Basqueria started?
First, we moved to LA four years ago – we’ve been living in Malibu for two years now. I didn’t choose Malibu, I think Malibu chose me. I started to do private parties in the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills. At some point, I did one in Malibu and the connection was immediate. I was approached to open a place here (Surf Canyon). I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, and I ended up meeting with the family who owns the space.
I started to do the salt while I was in LA, and it was actually what took me to Malibu. One week, I gave it to my friends, and then The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills called me. I don’t know how they got it, but they were like, “We want your portfolio”. So I started to work with them and a couple of places, but when I did my first dinner in Malibu, I met Larry Thorne, who is a legendary farmer in Malibu. Every Saturday morning, the community gathers at his farm. He said: “Your salt is amazing, you should sell it at my farm”. So, I started to sell it at his farm and to the community. From there, I did more dinners and that’s how we ended up here.
How has the Malibu community embraced you, and what did you learn about it during the fires?
I think the Malibu community is a real community. Because of the private events and the sandwiches, many people had my phone number in Malibu. When the fires happened, I had so many texts from people saying, “Do you need help?” “Is everything ok?”
I’ve been cooking for a lot of celebrities in Beverly Hills and Malibu but at the end of the day, there’s something very down to earth in Malibu — whether you’re a celebrity or not. There is a connection to the ocean, to the surf, to the food, which is deeper. People are more aware of what they eat and what they want.
What are your favorite places in LA or Malibu?
Our first hiking trail that we discovered when we first moved to LA was Los Leones. We were going to Malibu every weekend and we would stop there. I LOVE that hike. There are so many amazing trails in Malibu, so I don’t have a favorite per se.
For food, I’m very happy about the new development. There’s Clark’s Oyster Bar, which I love. However, I’m trying to discover new places, especially on the East Side, where there’s always a new restaurant to discover. The next place on my list is a Szechuan place on York Blvd. called Mala Class.
Obviously, when I lived in LA, I visited all the staples: Gjusta, Gjelina… everything, and I love them. I think California food culture is very interesting and it’s the most important scene in America right now. It’s very unfortunate that people are suffering in the hospitality business, with lots of restaurants closing because there is great creativity with solid chefs and solid concepts all around. It just takes time to adapt.
Basqueria: Website and Instagram
Address: 3730 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
