Alberto Pacheco is an innovative chef with a proven track record at the national level. He has worked with Rafa Zafra at the Estimar and Rural restaurants in Madrid and runs his own beach bar, Es Fumeral, in Cala Nova (Ibiza). He is also the executive chef at Hannah in Formentera. He has received several awards and recognitions from La Guía Repsol.
What is your culinary philosophy?
It’s based, above all, on what I learned from Chef Rafa Zafra at the Estimar restaurant, which focuses on taking care of the product and enhancing what already exists with the highest quality ingredients. That’s what I know, and I try to apply it wherever I go, always striving to offer diners the best products, rather than inventing dishes, new ideas, or unusual creations. I base myself on traditional recipes, refining the dishes as much as possible.
Does this involve a commitment to local products and culinary tradition?
Absolutely: it’s a combination of the culinary knowledge acquired in recent years, based on modern research, combined with gastronomic tradition, all while respecting each region’s products and their environment.
Is there any particular dish that sums it up?
A seafood salad.
What is your current relationship with the renowned chef Rafa Zafra, with whom you share the Tapas magazine award for Best Beach Bar in Spain?
We’ve been good friends for many years. He has been a father figure to me in the culinary world; he has always believed in me and trusted me, and he has taught me a lot. I owe him a lot because I identify with his culinary philosophy, and it’s one that I can practice for the rest of my life.
Now she runs her restaurant, Es Fumeral, and Hannah Formentera, along with other partners, as well as Rural in Madrid. Is it difficult to juggle projects in such different locations?
You can’t be in all of them at once, so it’s essential to have a good team in each place: a head chef you can trust with your vision and your project, and who you can supervise at all times. The good thing about not being at the same restaurant every day is that it allows you to get some distance from a place and come back with fresh ideas. It helps you see how things should ideally run on a day-to-day basis and make changes to improve them. You arrive with your batteries recharged and break the daily routine.
What are the differences between cooking in a beach bar by the sea and in a restaurant in Madrid?
It’s different in every way. Downtown restaurants tend to have a local, regular clientele and operate in two very distinct phases: during the week, with business lunches, corporate clients, and diners who have two or three hours to eat; and on weekends, with couples or families who are trying to eat well and feel at home. These customers come regularly; in contrast, the beach bars are very busy: they serve a lot of people in a short time, and you almost never see the same people twice. At Es Fumeral, we have tried to tailor our service closely to local diners, but serving 40 people at lunchtime is not the same as serving 200, most of whom are foreigners.
Do diners also approach it differently?
When you know a restaurant’s philosophy and menu, you’re more likely to follow the restaurateur’s advice and can compare their opinions and tastes with your own. The experience varies completely from one place to another. A beach bar, on the other hand, has the advantage that people are on vacation, relaxed, enjoying the sea, the sun, the surroundings, and the island, and tend to be less demanding about the food and are happier simply because they are in such a beautiful place.
Does the current restaurant industry—with skyrocketing prices and labor shortages—have a viable future?
There used to be local clothing and furniture stores; now they’re all brand stores. Nowadays, it’s difficult to succeed with a non-brand clothing store. This trend is now spreading to the hospitality industry. The family-run restaurant is doomed to disappear because it will become unsustainable due to a lack of resources, which makes the situation very complex. Either you have an investment group or a strong chain behind you to cover the culinary costs, or it’s simply not viable. People used to go to the same restaurant, for example, Casa Lucio in Madrid, which served fried eggs with fries. Now they are much more informed; they want variety and to enjoy innovative experiences. On the other hand, restaurants aren’t allowed to develop their own personality. There is a lot of supply, but little culinary identity.
Has artificial intelligence arrived in the kitchen to change tastes and standards?
AI is already firmly established in all aspects of our lives and can be helpful, as cooking isn’t just about chopping vegetables, grilling fish, or making a stew. It also involves timing, processes, management, and planning, and AI helps us with all of this, even when designing menus or presenting a dish so people can visually understand what is being created and see what they will be eating. Furthermore, it will transform business models to make them more profitable and efficient, but it won’t change the flavors, because a machine lacks the passion and love for cooking.
A few years ago, Ferran Adrià told me that a waiter could earn up to 5,000 euros. Are we any closer to that point?
A lot of importance is placed on chefs, but the front-of-house staff also has influence. The chef creates the menu and people come to eat at their restaurant, but a waiter has a contagious spirit; they make customers feel comfortable with their kindness and bring a human touch to the place, giving it a soul. Someone who does this can earn that kind of money because, through their attention to detail, they make the place feel like their own. There are places where people don’t know the owner or the chef, but they do know the head of the dining room, the maître d’, or the waiter, and they trust them. This salary is justified as long as you are the heart and soul of the restaurant. It’s something specific that has to do with exclusivity.
Are you waiting for your first Michelin star?
Honestly, no. Five years ago, at ‘Estimar’ in Madrid, I really wanted it. I thought they would give it to us, but they didn’t. I think Michelin owes Rafa Zafra a star. It’s not something that keeps me up at night. I’m much more satisfied with a full restaurant where people leave happy than with a prestigious star.
Do wars and conflicts have an impact on gastronomy?
Transportation is essential today, and oil is indispensable, and that affects the price of products. If you go to the market and the price of tomatoes has gone up, you have to buy them anyway, but if I raise the price of the dishes at the restaurant, you’ll complain or simply not come back, and that’s where we have a lot to lose. Sometimes we don’t raise prices for fear of the reaction from the media and customers. In places where we have very short peak seasons, like Formentera, the uncertainty of a war can have a huge impact. We find ourselves trapped in this cycle.
You were recently in Athens for a week for an event celebrating Ibizan cuisine, organized by the Ibiza Gastronomy Academy. How was that experience?
It was a lovely and rewarding experience as a chef. I was very excited to represent my home island alongside José Miguel Bonet in another country, to learn about Greek cuisine, and to showcase Ibizan cuisine. You cook for others, and if people enjoy the dishes from your home, it’s a source of pride to prepare them.
