Félix Paniego and Marisa Sánchez in the Echaurren kitchen

Pedro Echaurren and Andrea García, Marisa Sánchez's great-uncle and great-aunt, founded Echaurren in 1898. With the railway about to arrive in Ezcaray, they decided to convert the old stagecoach stop into a small hotel. At just 18 years old, Marisa Sánchez took over the business, applying what she had learnt from her great-aunt Andrea, her mother, and her grandmother. She turned traditional recipes such as croquettes, lamb's trotters, and Rioja-style potatoes into her signature dishes. Her husband, Félix Paniego, took charge of managing the business and choosing the wines.