Not all great culinary stories begin in a kitchen. Some start at sea, aboard a small boat trying its luck in waters that no one had ever looked at closely before.

That's the story of the shrimp from La Santa, in the fishing neighborhood of La Santa, in the north of Lanzarote.

The discovery comes from the Olivero family, who have been setting out to sea every night in their boats for generations and who one day caught something that is changing the Food & Drink scene.

What is the La Santa shrimp?

"La Santa shrimp" is the name given in Lanzarote to the soldier shrimp (Plesionika edwardsii), a small, deep-red crustacean that lives on the depths of the Canary Islands’ Atlantic Ocean, where light doesn’t even reach: at depths of more than 600 meters

What makes it so special isn't just its bright red color, but its flavor: sweeter and more intense than any other shrimp, with a firm and consistent texture.

Marine biologist José Antonio González, known as Pepe Solea, who has spent years studying crustaceans throughout the Canary Islands, has a quote that sums up this shrimp well: “We’ve put an end to the urban legend that there was no seafood in Lanzarote.”

When and how was it discovered?

Although the soldier shrimp had been listed in scientific catalogs of the Canary Islands for years, fishermen had not recognized its potential until very recently.

The turning point came when biologist Pepe Solea himself introduced semi-floating shrimp traps to the Canary Islands—a fishing method that seemed tailor-made for this variety of shrimp.

The Olivero family decided to give it a try and was the first to specialize in catching soldier shrimp with these selective traps

The result? A product of exceptional quality, sustainably harvested, that began to make its way into restaurants across the island under the unmistakable name of its port: La Santa.

And as if that weren't enough, in 2020, the Olivero family took it a step further by discovering the carabinero shrimp in those same waters—a larger species with an even stronger flavor—in those same waters. These two species have become a favorite among many chefs and are now an unofficial hallmark of Lanzarote in the world of haute cuisine.

Why do top chefs love it?

No matter how much we talk about their color and flavor, it is the chefs themselves who answer this question. Ricard Camarena loves it for “its size and the quality of its meat,” and others like Paco Pérez, Paco Medina, or Victor Bossecker hail it as one of the highest-quality products in Canarian cuisine, one that elevates the standard of their dishes.

The fact is, everyone agrees on the combination that’s so hard to find—and yet is present in this La Santa shrimp: aan intense flavor characteristic of deep waters, a hint of sweetness, a firm texture, and a spectacular color that round out a truly delightful culinary experience.

The icing on the cake for these chefs is that, in addition, most of this product stays in Lanzarote, making it one of the few places where you can savor the unique flavor of this species.

A sustainable product from the fishing grounds to the plate

The key to the sustainable success of La Santa shrimp lies in the semi-floating shrimp traps we mentioned earlier.

This system, introduced by biologist Pepe Solea and adopted by the Olivero family, stands out, among other things, because

• They are highly selective: they catch soldier shrimp and related species without disturbing the seabed or affecting biodiversity.
• They rarely get stuck at the bottom.
• They are baited with chicken so as not to alter the flavor of the shrimp and to avoid the strong taste that oily fish usually has.
• They enable controlled and responsible fishing that preserves sustainability by preventing overfishing.

Furthermore, since they are used almost exclusively on the island, around 80 metric tons per year, a figure well below the sustainable harvest level.

La Santa Shrimp at Kentia Restaurant

In Lanzarote, theLa Santa shrimp has found its best showcase in many local restaurants.

The Kentia Restaurant, with its menu rooted in the island’s local produce, is one such place, where you’ll find it on the menu, prepared with the simplicity that a product of this quality deserves.

The unwritten rule in Lanzarote’s kitchens is that when you have a product of such high quality, you shouldn’t do anything to mask its flavor. Grilled, with garlic, or in a broth made from the shrimp itself—and nothing else. And that’s exactly what the chefs at Kentia do: let the sea speak for itself.

Without a doubt, this shrimp from La Santa will be one of the most special culinary experiences you’ll enjoy in Lanzarote, and we certainly invite you to try it.