What/who inspired you to become a chef?
My dad inspired me. He was a prestigious chef in Barcelona and ever since I was little I’ve been surrounded by cooking. Then there were great chefs who motivated me and got me to where I am today: Daniel Bausà, Didac Acoriza, Mey Hoffman and Joan Piqué. I’ve got good memories of all of them.
What is your culinary philosophy?
Education, evolution, non-conformity and work, lots of work.
How did the concept for the menu at Ibiza Gran Hotel come about?
It was born of the curiosities about other culinary cultures that we tried to adapt to our cooking style and turn into a concept that’s different, fresh and bursting with flavour.
How do you go about translating your philosophy onto the menu at Ibiza Gran Hotel?
By combining techniques and products that transport diners to explore other worlds, but without losing our Mediterranean identity and a touch of personal madness.
Can you explain how the creative journey behind your dishes began?
It always starts from an idea; a place, a memory, being inspired by someone or something or lived experiences. We tend to do it backwards, as initially, we don’t know what dishes we’ll go for, nor what ingredients we want to use. What we do know is what we want to feel.
Do you have a dish that you particularly enjoyed creating? Or a signature dish from the hotel menu?
That’s a hard one as there are so many. I’d say the dessert Santa Inés, a dish inspired by Santa Inés, an inland town in Ibiza where you’ll find almonds, carob, fennel and mint. Those are the ingredients in the dish: it’s a carob-shaped chocolate filled with fudge on a base of almonds from the Santa Inés valley, carob ice cream, fennel flower stems, mint gel and Ibizan herb foam. It’s a dish inspired by walks in the valley with my wife and children.
What would you say has been the most memorable moment in your culinary career so far at Ibiza Gran Hotel?
Every year is better than the last. I guess that’s what comes of our growth.
Is there a dish by another chef that you feel is iconic? Why?
I remember a dessert from three years ago by Albert Adria at his restaurant, Tickets. It’s made of beetroot and is so simple but at the same time so complex. I’d love to pinch that one.
What do you think is on the horizon for the fine dining scene in Ibiza?
Ibiza is an international landmark thanks to its music scene. Year after year, the cuisine has become an even greater selling point. At Ibiza Gran Hotel we aim to offer excellent service, and that’s why at La Gaia, we’re working to become the islands landmark fine-dining restaurant.
Find out more about Chef Molina and the Ibiza Gran Hotel here | www.ibizagranhotel.com