Zela’s Victor Planas Talks Produce, Preparation & Gourmet Perfection

Opening its doors relatively late in the 2017 season, Japanese and Mediterranean fusion restaurant and bar Zela has wasted no time in making a name for itself on the White Isle with its innovative and high quality menu and stylish settings. Located just a stone’s throw from super club’s Pacha and HEART Ibiza, the beautiful venue has quickly established itself as a culinary hotspot in Ibiza Town’s nightlife.

A joint project between Spanish cuisine purveyors TATEL and the world-famous Japanese restaurant Kabuki, we spoke to head chef Victor Planas, the man tasked with setting up the first ever Zela eatery in Ibiza…

How is your first summer in Ibiza going?
Everything is going really well, the people like it and we have had good feedback. Our guests always tell us the same things; that the quality of the food is very good and that the produce is very fresh. We’re doing around 150 covers every day, which I think is quite good for our first year.

What are your bestsellers?
People love the Ramen Caldereta and our own version of the Thai Tom Kha Kai soup, which we make with turbot here. Guests also love the sashimis and sushi that we do, because we use fresh produce from the island so the fish comes straight from the boat. You can see that the quality is amazing, but it’s not just about the produce, we work with some very good kitchen professionals here too who know how to prepare it properly.

Zela is the first of its kind, a joint project between TATEL and Kabuki. How did you go about creating the menu?
We have some classics from Kabuki and then we have created a fusion of Kabuki and TATEL dishes. TATEL is classic Spanish food but done in a modern way, and Kabuki has the same philosophy but on the Japanese side. We always respect tradition and use only the freshest ingredients of the highest quality, prepared by people who know how to work with them. So if you put two culinary traditions together according to these principles, the flavours will be different but the thinking behind is always the same.

Where did you get the ideas for the fusion dishes?
Well, I worked at Kabuki for nine years and then I went to Japan and England, as well as few different islands, and putting all this experience together, the ideas just come to my mind. And, of course, I’m Spanish, so I have eaten this food all my life, so it’s easy for me to try something new with it and put the two together.

Where did you learn how to cook?
In Barcelona. My grandmother was a really good cook, so since I was young I was surrounded by good food. Then I went to school and after that I worked in many Michelin Star kitchens, so I can say I have learned from the best.

What is your favourite thing about your work?
The day by day. I like to be in the kitchen and learn every day.

There is a lot of competition on the island’s culinary scene. Do you like a challenge?
Yes, I prefer it that way. If not, you get too comfortable and don’t try new things. If you are surrounded by the best – and there are many great chefs on the island now – then it might be difficult, but you push yourself to do your best.

Will you change the menu when the weather starts to cool down?
I’d love to, because I like to work with the seasons. Of course there are some classics that are always popular, but guests don’t want to eat the same dishes in winter as they did in the summer, so we will introduce some more warm plates, like soups. You always have to change, never stand still.

Will you stay open for winter?
I’d like to, because it’s less busy and you can focus more on tasting menus and trying new specials, so the guests will be surprised. I like to go to the market and see what’s available and then come up with something new. And it’s fun for the customers, too, not always to have the same menu.

Are you planning any special events at Zela?
Yes, we are working on that. Richie Hawtin was here a couple of times and he loved our food, so then he came again with his sake and we tried some food pairings which worked very well – watch this space! Cristiano Ronaldo is a business partner now, so we had a big party to welcome him on board. We have different DJs every night of the week, so after your dinner you can go to the bar and enjoy the cocktails and the music. Many people come here before they go to Pacha, which is pretty much next door.

What’s your favourite thing to do in Ibiza when you’re not working?
I like to be by the sea. I used to live in the Canary Islands for nine years and my passion is surfing, but there are no waves in Ibiza. But at least I can relax by the sea and there are many small bays where there are not too many people. The island has a lot of natural beauty, so I like to get away from it all.

Information & Reservations
t: +34 871 515 380
w: www.zelarestaurants.com