Nandu Jubany
He came looking for the perfect excuse to swim in the crystal-clear waters and ended up building a culinary empire that tastes of salt, sea breeze and excellence. Far from resembling a traditional chef, Nandu Jubany is a creative whirlwind who can’t sit still. With four restaurants—Can Carlitos, Es Còdol Foradat, Aigua and Pecador— which shimmer under the Formentera sun, he has proven that it is possible to strike the perfect balance between business profitability and creating the most authentic experience.
These days, do you see yourself more as a chef or a business owner?
I would say I am a chef, or rather an old-school cook, what you would call a head of kitchen. However, I consider myself an entrepreneurial cook. I’m the type of person who likes to get stuck in, do new things, get involved in exciting projects. I don’t know how to sit still.
How did your love affair with Formentera begin? One that has led you to create so many successful concepts there.
Our relationship began a few years before, in 2016, although I had already fallen in love with the island and had been going there on holiday with my family for years. Opening Can Carlitos was the perfect excuse to have to come to Formentera. Before, if I came for a couple of days, I felt obliged to always have a swim in the sea. Now things have changed; sometimes I’m here a whole week and I don’t even set foot in the sea. I still think it is the best island in the world to go to for work, but I need to think it over in order to recapture the magic and not lose my balance.
Let's talk about your four locations on the island, which have become must-visit spots for foodies. How have they evolved to win over even the most discerning palates?
At Can Carlitos, which is about to celebrate its 12th anniversary, we offer tapas and rice dishes designed for sharing. The idea is that you round off your meal with a large dish, such as a paella or a lobster, in a setting with a beach-bar vibe where you can watch the sunset. We then opened Es Còdol Foradat, looking to preserve the true spirit of Formentera by the sea. We’ve evolved into a restaurant serving seafood of the highest quality, and I firmly believe it is one of the best restaurants in the Mediterranean; we serve more than 400 people every day during the high season, and the quality is exceptional. Then came Aigua, a amazing pizzeria that also serves tapas and rice dishes.
Formentera is the best island in the world to go to for work
How did the direct service for boats that you offer at Aigua come about?
We simply saw a need and listened to our customers. When you go out sailing, you usually have to go ashore to enjoy a good paella. So we decided to bring our service on board; using a small dinghy, we serve people who come by boat, bringing them paella, roast chicken, or Russian salad. It’s a concept that works like a charm, from breakfast all the way into the late evening.
And the jewel in the crown, Pecador…
Absolutely. Pecador is our pride and joy and a real gift that my son Fran and I gave ourselves. It’s a stunning restaurant where we showcase our most refined cuisine on the island, offering a tasting menu, although we also give guests complete freedom to dine à la carte. Plus, we listened to what the island was missing: a place to have a great time without losing the local spirit or turning it into Ibiza. Here you can end the evening dancing and sipping cocktails until 2 or 3 in the morning. It’s tough to make ends meet by only opening at night, but we’re happy doing it.
What are the biggest logistical challenges you come up against in Formentera?
It’s incredibly complicated because the island is tiny and very little is produced locally. Almost all the produce has to come from Ibiza or directly from the mainland. The biggest challenge is managing those logistics whilst always ensuring excellent quality. Imagine a long weekend with rough seas, when the ferries stop running and the produce doesn’t arrive, but your restaurants are packed. Here, you can’t just send a WhatsApp message in the middle of the night and have the freshest produce delivered before you start work, like you can in a big city. Fortunately, we’re surrounded by great professionals, we have our own logistics warehouse there, and we make do as best we can. It’s the kind of place where it’s impossible to get bored.
As a business owner, what makes you most proud?
Without a doubt, what makes me most proud is the teams we’ve built and the spirit they’ve brought to our four restaurants. It’s no easy feat to achieve this with so many daily challenges, especially considering that we also have to rent 21 homes for the whole team, since we have about 130 people working during the high season. It makes me very happy to see that we create a sense of excitement and inspire so many loyal customers.
Will we see any more Jubany restaurant openings in Formentera or Ibiza?
For the time being, the answer is no; we get a lot of proposals, but Formentera is very small, and I think what we have is enough. I believe that we shouldn’t take up too much space on the island so that we can always prioritise quality and sustainability. I’m still deeply in love with this place. We’re proud that we invite everyone to enjoy Formentera but only on the condition that they respect the island.
