At the heart of the Ocotea Boutique Hotel experience is Nectandra Restaurant, which serves as a natural gathering place and welcoming dining concept for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all who stay at the hotel.
As the Ocotea Boutique Hotel has continued to grow and evolve to deliver an even better Monteverde experience, so too has Nectandra. For this article, our team had the chance to sit down with new Executive Chef of Nectandra Isaac Madrigal to discuss his culinary journey, how it led him to Monteverde, and the vision he has for Nectandra’s bold future.
Chef Isaac Madrigal's culinary journey is as inspiring as it is unconventional. Born in historic Cartago in the Central Valley, Chef Madrigal's path to becoming an executive chef began humbly at the age of nine, helping his family prepare lunch and dinner because his parents both worked.
Those early experiences in the kitchen shaped his appreciation for food and the joy of sharing it with others. From there, his professional career didn’t start in a fine-dining restaurant but in the fast-paced kitchens of McDonald’s, where he started as a line cook.
However, despite serving fast food, Madrigal credits this as being his first step into the fundamentals of organization, consistency, and delivering quality at scale.
From there, he transitioned to hospitality, starting as a line chef at a hotel in San José while simultaneously earning his culinary certification in his off hours. Hard work and persistence propelled him to the role of executive chef, and his work experiences around the country span San José, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, and some of Costa Rica’s most prestigious hotels.
Along the way, Chef Madrigal has continually refined his craft through apprenticeships in Michelin-starred kitchens in Spain and celebrated restaurants in Peru, working alongside elite culinary minds like Quince Garcia, Antonio Achur, and Jamie Pesky.
Today, his cooking reflects a blend of dedication and world-class ambition, but also a deep connection to his family roots, where his love for cooking began.
Becoming the executive chef at Nectandra was serendipitous, sparked by a shared connection Madrigal had in Monteverde. While working in Guanacaste, Chef Madrigal crossed paths with a mutual friend — a mixology expert contributing to Ocotea’s cocktail program.
Through this connection, Chef Madrigal was introduced to Karen Fallas and the team at Ocotea Boutique Hotel. It became clear that there was a perfect fit. Ocotea sought a chef with both vision and skill, and Chef Madrigal was eager for a new challenge and intrigued by Monteverde.
Monteverde offered Chef Madrigal something entirely different from his past culinary experiences in Guanacaste and San José. Though there were some parallels to his work in the bustling capital, Monteverde’s distinct identity as a rising culinary hub intrigued him.
With its growing reputation and diverse interpretations of Costa Rican cuisine, Chef Madrigal saw an opportunity to bring his expertise to Monteverde, and through his work at Nectandra, make his mark on this evolving community.
Chef Madrigal sees Nectandra as a restaurant with strong foundations and exciting potential for growth. On his first tastings, he noticed that the breakfast offerings were eye-catching, the entrees were flavorful and satisfying, and the overall cuisine was very familiar to anyone who has traveled Costa Rica.
However, it was in this familiarity that Chef Madrigal saw room for growth. Many chefs in Costa Rica cater to international audiences by incorporating global influences into their menus. For a new restaurant finding its footing, this approach makes sense, offering diners a broad range of flavors and experiences.
However, notes that while Nectandra’s plates were undeniably delicious, some dishes felt like their inspiration originated elsewhere — flavors with a soul that leaned more international than distinctly local. For Chef Madrigal, this observation presents an opportunity: to deepen Nectandra’s identity and refine its culinary voice.
Chef Madrigal’s vision for Nectandra is rooted in the mountains of Monteverde, inspired by the rich array of Costa Rican products found right at Nectandra’s doorstep.
“I look to the work done in Michelin-starred kitchens that I’ve been honored to work in. When I’m in Valencia, I use Valencian ingredients. It’s the same in Paris, in Lima, in Ciudad de México. In this way we bring authenticity to the table with every meal.”
Another aspect of this focus is firmly on embracing the authenticity of Costa Rican ingredients and traditions. For Chef Madrigal, the future of Nectandra means redefining what a Costa Rican restaurant can be.
Instead of leaning heavily on the safety of international influences, he envisions a menu that celebrates the flavors, stories, and heritage of Costa Rica. By elevating traditional recipes and honoring local culture, Chef Madrigal aims to craft a dining experience that is both innovative and unmistakably Costa Rican.
At Nectandra, Isaac envisions an experience that embodies the flavors and essence of Monteverde. Each dish highlights a local product or ingredient as its centerpiece, drawing inspiration from flavors familiar to Costa Ricans while taking diners on a creative and memorable culinary journey.
Reflecting Monteverde’s values, the menu also prioritizes gastronomy that supports both well-being and sustainability. Ingredients are locally sourced and prepared with care, ensuring every bite nourishes the body and gives you energy for the day.
Above all, Isaac seeks to capture the warmth and hospitality of family, creating an experience that feels both deeply personal and authentically Costa Rican.
Chef Madrigal also takes pride in reimagining common ingredients beloved throughout Costa Rica and Latin America. Many of these staples have their origins in humble, working-class meals, and Chef Madrigal’s artistry lies in elevating them to showcase their versatility and elegance.
“Growing up, we used what was available to us, and we worked hard to make those simple meals into something special. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from incredible chefs around the world, but I’ll always remember my roots.
Elevating those fundamentally Latin ingredients using what I’ve learned around the globe is something I’m very excited to share at Nectandra.”
Monteverde’s menu at Nectandra will heavily feature the region’s exceptional local ingredients, which far surpass that of the average small mountain town.
“The proximity to the coast provides access to fresh, high-quality seafood from the Golfo de Nicoya. Our local meat producer Finca Josefina supplies us premium beef that is raised with care, while Monteverde’s goat cheese is regarded as the best in Costa Rica. Around us, the region’s vegetables, grown with pristine water and air, deliver remarkable flavor and freshness.”
In order to secure the ingredients needed for such a menu, Chef Madrigal collaborated closely with the Ocotea Hotel team and regional providers, starting with producers right in Monteverde and expanding outward.
The process involved meeting the fishers, farmers, and other suppliers to ensure they were sustainable, consistent in their quality, and reputable in their communities. From there, any supplementary ingredients — typically spices, herbs, and specialty items — are sparingly sourced to enhance the dishes.
This approach keeps the focus on freshness, sustainability, and the rich bounty of Monteverde, without limiting the flavor possibilities.
The new menu at Nectandra is a complete reinvention, designed to showcase Monteverde’s unique identity through its ingredients and Chef Madrigal’s creative interpretation.
Every dish reflects the essence of Monteverde, from the fresh-caught ceviche served with leche de tigre and homemade plantain chips to beautifully prepared beef that highlights the quality and care of its local producer.
Desserts will be a sensory delight, pairing sweet and savory flavors with surprising textures—think smoked cheeses, artisanal ice creams, and, of course, rich Costa Rican chocolate.
For now though, to get the best look at the menu, you’ll have to come visit and taste it yourself!
Chef Madrigal’s story is one of family, dedication, and hard work — a journey that mirrors the Monteverde spirit and the founding principles of Ocotea. This philosophy is rooted in seeing potential everywhere and honoring humble beginnings, even as you strive to create something extraordinary.
Nectandra’s bold new step isn’t a change of direction, but rather a refinement of a vision, to create a culinary concept fundamentally, beautifully Costa Rican and Monteverdense, yet capable of matching up with the world’s best kitchens.
And we’d like to invite you to join us! As December approaches, Nectandra will officially be opening to the public for the first time, with limited seating by reservation only by calling reception at (+506) 4002 2599.
Guests at the Ocotea Boutique Hotel will still receive first priority for seating in the dining room, but if you can get a reservation, we hope you’ll join us and see exactly what Nectandra Restaurant has to offer.