With a career that spans the globe, from Buenos Aires to Russia, the UK to France, and now Mallorca, Adrian Quetglas has earned his place among the culinary elite. But for the chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred Adrian Quetglas Restaurant (open since 2015), it’s not the accolades that drive him — it’s his audience. In an exclusive conversation with ‘Humans of Mallorca’, Adrian opens up about the essence of Mallorcan cuisine, his global influences, and why the customers always come first in his kitchen.
Born in the late 60s in sunny Buenos Aires, Adrian Quetglas is a chef, co-owner, and brand chef of restaurant projects in several countries. After working in restaurants in France, England, and Russia, Adrian opened his own restaurant on Mallorca in 2015. The “Adrian Quetglas Restaurant” earned a Michelin star in 2016 and continues to delight visitors to this day. At the moment, it’s hard to imagine a better conversation partner than Adrian, so we met with him at his restaurant to talk about cuisine, island, and local food.
What is traditional Mallorcan cuisine?
— The audience dictates everything. While we can do what we want, the restaurant business is still a business, and you always have to understand what the customer wants. Unfortunately, in Palma, there’s no real base for Mallorcan cuisine. So, if you’re looking for traditional Mallorcan dishes, you’ll have to venture out of the city. There are Mallorcan chefs, many great ones, but they also create a mix where you can’t fully experience the foundation of the cuisine. Santi Taura, for example, adapts classic Mallorcan recipes into fine dining, while Andreu Genestra brings more creativity to his interpretation of traditional dishes. There are also foreign chefs working in haute cuisine here, including myself, which creates a unique mix. The gastronomic scene in Mallorca is slowly growing, but it’s more of a fusion of trends.
What do you think is the essence of Mallorcan cuisine?
— Mallorcan cuisine is not like French cuisine. There were never chefs here who cooked for wealthy families, inventing and experimenting with new dishes. Yes, there are a few old aristocratic recipes, but Mallorcan cuisine is mostly based on vegetables and meat, as this was what the farmers ate. For example, “Frito mallorquín” is fried pork or lamb with guindilla (cayenne pepper), garlic, pepper, bay leaf, fennel, cloves, and cinnamon. It also includes potatoes, red peppers, green onions, and beans. There’s rabbit with cranberries, though there’s often more onion than meat on the plate. Personally, I’m a fan of Mallorcan-style snails.
What about rabbit in chocolate?
— For me, this was a family dish that I never cooked myself, but after my father passed away, I felt I wanted to recreate it. It’s a typical Mallorcan dish, much like rabbit with cranberries. I enjoy working with dishes that demand more adrenaline during the preparation process.
What do you think about spices?
— I love spices; a kitchen without spices is a nightmare. But you have to understand that everything changes. I’m not the kind of person who fixates on any one thing; what I like today could be replaced by something else tomorrow. Perhaps my love for curry is the one constant, but even curry is a mix that varies widely. Spices can be almost anything—even coffee can be used as a spice, offering an incredible contrast. I constantly try to find ingredients that aren’t traditionally considered spices but can still be used as such.
What about travelling and its influence?
— It’s not so much the travels themselves that have influenced my culinary philosophy, but rather the people I worked with during those travels. While living in Russia, I became very interested in Georgian and Azerbaijani cuisine. But the people I cooked with, the chefs I read about or watched from afar, always inspired me more than the destinations.
What was the process of building a team and realizing the project?
— At first, it was very difficult, as Mikhail Dunaev (a chef from Moscow who worked with Adrian at “Grand Cru”) needed to get the paperwork done and relocate, but his persistence and desire to make this project happen made the process easier. There were two other people—one is still with us, while the other works in another restaurant. With this small team, we started off well, working together with a shared vision. Now, it’s harder because it’s difficult to find people who are uncompromising, willing to work for the restaurant, dedicate their time, and devote their lives to this hard work. I don’t know if this is a recent issue, but it’s noticeable everywhere. It feels like there used to be more people who wanted to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Do you have a favorite type of customer?
— I like challenging people. It’s part of the adrenaline. Of course, when people come and say how much they enjoyed everything, it’s nice. But when there’s a problem, I’m interested in solving it. I learn more from negative feedback. I also enjoy when young people come in, which is why we try to keep prices down so everyone can afford the Michelin-starred experience.
Three key words to sum up Adrian Quetglas restaurant?
— That’s a great question. If I may, I’d like to answer in Spanish: Sencillo, Cercano y Pasión (Simple, Approachable, and Passionate). When I opened this place, the main idea was to create a casual and affordable restaurant. Mikhail Dunaev and I wanted to focus on the food, not the service. We wanted to create a place where our guests feel relaxed, without the pretentiousness of a Michelin-starred restaurant, and I think we succeeded.
Text by Stefan Rairyan
