Zazou Belounis: “I call it the Marbella dream: I started from nothing and value everything I have today”

Former professional footballer and now one of the most influential figures shaping Marbella’s contemporary lifestyle scene, Zazou Belounis leads Casanis Group, a hospitality ecosystem that has turned experience — music, service, atmosphere and gastronomy — into a distinctive way of understanding the city.

With iconic brands firmly established in Marbella and an expansion now reaching major capitals, Zazou Belounis is experiencing a defining moment: the recent opening of Nota Blu New Brasserie in Madrid and the group’s international arrival in Doha, reinforcing the idea that concepts born in Marbella can be successfully exported without losing their soul.

In this interview, Zazou Belounis speaks with Javier Nieto about his personal journey, his love story with Marbella and the future of one of today’s most influential hospitality groups. A close, honest conversation between two professionals who share the same belief: that lifestyle, experience and quality are essential in shaping the appeal of a destination.

Zazou, your personal story is truly inspiring: from professional football to high-end hospitality. What brought you to Marbella, and what did you find here that made you stay and start this journey?

First of all, Javier, I want to thank you, because you have witnessed my evolution. Being here with you today is very special for me. I clearly remember ten years ago, when I arrived in Marbella cleaning knives, doing whatever I could to make a living — and now we are here.

I had been coming to Marbella on holiday for around 25 years. I had a friend here and spent every summer in the city. The first time I came, I knew it immediately: one day I will live here with my family. For me, it was a complete paradise. But of course, coming to Marbella is not easy.

I came from football and had an issue in Qatar that was eventually resolved. But while that was happening, I had to work to provide for my daughter. I started from zero: cleaning cutlery, working as a runner, then as a waiter, then head waiter. I learned the trade and discovered how much I enjoyed welcoming people. That is where my real passion for hospitality was born. When my situation was resolved, I decided to start my own business. That was the beginning of everything for Zazou Belounis.

Many entrepreneurs say “Marbella chooses you”. In your case, when did you feel the city — its energy, rhythm and mix of cultures — was the perfect place to build a project like Casanis Group?

Absolutely. Marbella… when you arrive for the first time, you either love it or you do not. In my case, it was immediate: the energy, the sun, the lifestyle, the more relaxed way of life. You cannot really explain it — I just felt good here with my wife.

And yes, I call it the Marbella dream. I started from zero, zero, zero… even minus one hundred. What I have today, I truly value because it was hard. Behind it there are countless hours of real work. Nobody gave me anything. That is the moment when Zazou Belounis knew Marbella was the place.

Casanis Bistrot, La Plage Casanis, Mamzel, Nota Blu, Le Jade… In less than two decades you have created a group of brands that define Marbella’s new lifestyle. How did it all begin and what common DNA connects them?

Casanis is everything to me. It is my baby. The story begins with my partner Guy Sirre, who took over Casanis Bistrot some years ago. From there, we went from a single restaurant to building a real hospitality group.

The common DNA is the complete experience: food, service and atmosphere. I always say luxury hospitality is demanding — you have to work extremely hard every single day to maintain the level. What connects all our concepts is an obsession with doing things with passion, with love and with very high standards in every detail. That is how Zazou Belounis understands hospitality.

Casanis Bistrot is the soul of the group. What remains of that original essence in the rest of the concepts?

Casanis Bistrot is the heart. It is small, but it has a huge soul. It is located in Marbella’s Old Town and nobody expects to find a French bistro like that there.

That essence is still present everywhere: the atmosphere, the energy, the way we welcome people — even that feeling that something happens when you walk in. In winter, with the noise, people talking, the place comes alive. That spirit has been carried into all our concepts. For Zazou Belounis, Casanis Bistrot will always be the origin.

Marbella has become a true lifestyle laboratory, exporting successful concepts abroad. You have recently opened Nota Blu in Madrid and are also present in Doha. What makes Marbella such a strong starting point?

Marbella has something very powerful: a combination of quality of life, international appeal and real demand for experiences. When a concept is well executed, it can be adapted.

In Doha, for example, it was a very special opportunity. Returning to Qatar was symbolic for me, and working with Four Seasons gives the brand real strength. We had to adapt the concept — the food, the atmosphere. People there mainly go out to dine, so you cannot have the music as loud as in Marbella. But it made sense, because many of our Marbella clients are from Qatar.

As for Madrid, I had been searching for three years. I visited many locations until one day you walk in and know instantly: this is it. Madrid is another league — it is not easy — but I have been welcomed very well, and there you have to think long term. That is how Zazou Belounis sees it.

Market real estate and prime leisure

From our perspective at Pure Living Properties, luxury hospitality influences how prime residential markets are perceived. To what extent can a restaurant, a beach club or a dinner show enhance the appeal — and even the value — of an area?

One hundred per cent. I have experienced it repeatedly. Many clients come to buy a home, but first they want to experience the lifestyle. At the same time, if they come for the lifestyle, they need a strong real estate product to stay.

It feeds itself: good restaurants, international branding and high-quality experiences make people fall in love with a destination. And when a client is happy, they bring others. It is exactly the same in real estate: one satisfied client can bring ten more. That is the vision of Zazou Belounis.

The expansion of Nota Blu to Madrid and Doha mirrors the lifestyle of many international buyers. How do you grow without losing the “Marbella soul”?

By preserving identity and adapting intelligently. In Doha, for example, I sent forty people from kitchen and service for training. The team is essential — they transmit the essence.

Then you adapt the details: dishes, rhythm and atmosphere, without betraying the concept. The Marbella soul is not about doing the same thing everywhere; it is about preserving the spirit — impeccable service, elegance and a sense of experience. That is how Zazou Belounis works.

Beyond creativity, what criteria guide you when choosing a new location for Casanis Group?

First, vision: the place must speak to you. That happened to me with La Plage. It was a few kilometres from Marbella and I wondered whether it would work, because people here do not always like to travel. But I felt it.

Second, growth must be healthy and organic. I never take risks that could endanger the group. And third, long-term thinking, as we do in Madrid.

We are currently looking at destinations such as Marrakech, and I also love Miami. But everything is under negotiation. One thing is clear: Marbella will always be my base. For Zazou Belounis, expanding also means bringing more people to discover Marbella.

If you were advising a luxury property buyer on how to choose an area in Marbella, what factors would be decisive for you?

Lifestyle. Being able to exercise, spend time with your family, eat well and live in a relaxed way. Marbella offers that: excellent schools, safety and genuine quality of life. In a big city, you lose time and barely see your children.

Here, you can have a perfect day combining sport, work, beach, a siesta and family time. For me, that has no price. That is what Zazou Belounis would recommend.

If someone has never experienced Casanis Group, which dish would you recommend first?

The steak tartare with fries. Without a doubt. It is a classic and you have to try it.

At the beach, I love sea bass or entrecôte. At Nota Blu, the raw sea bass Wellington-style with beurre blanc sauce, or the sole with a sauce where we add miso — that is why I say New Brasserie, because we travel a little. And at Mamzel… tequila, the show and enjoying the moment. That is how Zazou Belounis eats.

A day in the life of Zazou Belounis

Waking up, taking my children to school, doing sport, going to the office, having lunch at the beach, taking a siesta, spending time with my children, going to the restaurant and sleeping. That is my ideal day.

I cannot live without sport — running along the promenade, going to the gym. And I love how Marbella increasingly embraces healthy living. For Zazou Belounis, this rhythm is the true definition of luxury.

Are there any new projects or cities on Casanis Group’s radar?

There are projects, yes. Marrakech is on the radar, and I love Miami. But today I cannot be specific because everything is under negotiation.

What I do know is that Marbella will always be my base. My goal is to extend the season: it used to be four months, now it is five or six. We must offer reasons for people to stay in Marbella during winter as well. It is an obsession for Zazou Belounis.

As a creator of experiences, what do you want people to feel when they enter a Casanis Group space such as Mamzel for the first time?

Surprise. That “wow” feeling. Mamzel is about dining while enjoying a live show, artists, constant changes and a performance lasting two and a half hours.

Every year we change the concept and theme. It is demanding because you must constantly reinvent yourself, but that is the magic: every visit becomes a memory. That is what Zazou Belounis seeks.

To finish, if you had to describe Marbella using an image, a colour, a scent or a sound, what would it be?

The feeling of the sun on your skin in the morning, and the sound of the sea when you walk along the promenade. And also the noise of a restaurant in winter, people talking, the atmosphere alive. That is energy.

Marbella is sport, family, nature, good food and a way of life I cannot find anywhere else. That is why Zazou Belounis always says: come and discover it — the city has changed enormously, and you need to live it to truly understand it.

You can watch the full interview with Zaou Belounis on our YouTube channel.