Juan José Tur
Pescados Consuelo y Pardalet in Santa Eulalia del Río has continuously innovated for nearly forty years to offer its clients the finest treasures of the sea. New developments this season include tuna frozen at -60º, a product they’ve been working on for several years, while Ibizan lobsters and prawns are still two of its star products. Juan José Tur, from the second generation of the fishing family, explains that their main focus is fish from the island, although naturally they also work with produce from further afield. We chatted to Juan José Tur about fish, the current food scene and the fishing sector in Ibiza.
How does Pescados Consuelo y Pardalet view the current food scene in Ibiza?
Our company is over 35 years’ old and the quality of food on the island has improved a great deal over this time. We particularly notice a change in the clients we work with. They’re increasingly discerning and want the highest quality for their work.
What are Pescados Consuelo y Pardalet’s main strengths?
Our main priority is always the service we offer our clients. It’s the best service possible, because we’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are always available for our clients. And, of course, the quality of our products is hugely important; as well as having the best fish on the island, if we’re asked to bring over a product from elsewhere, we do whatever we can to make it possible.
Wild sea bass
What new developments are there at Pescados Consuelo y Pardalet this year?
We’re now working with tuna frozen at -60º. We’ve been developing this product for several years because it’s particularly useful for making raw dishes such as carpaccio and sushi. And we’ve finally succeeding in making it a very high-quality product while using the freezing process, which is fairly difficult.
Our priority is our service: we're open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are always available for our clients
What’s your star product?
We’ve always been famous for being lobster distributors. My father focused on this from the beginning because there weren’t many companies that had lobster nurseries on the island. More than anything, what we offer our clients is Ibizan produce. We like working with local fishermen. Another of our star products that we’ve always supplied are fresh Ibizan prawns. They’re caught at night and served at restaurants the following morning. We even take them to some restaurants ourselves as soon as we receive them, freshly caught. They couldn’t be fresher.
What is Pescados Consuelo y Pardalet’s philosophy when it comes to obtaining products for your catalogue?
Our philosophy is simple: when it comes to choosing a product, quality and freshness are the priority, and after that, the price. But what has always set us apart, and what our clients know us for, is the quality of the product.
Ibizan lobsters
How do you handle the challenge of supplying all your clients during the high season months?
Fish is always a seasonal product. At some times of year we have some fish, and we have others at other times. But we do the impossible to obtain the products our clients ask us for. If necessary, I grab a fishing rod and go and fish it myself! [he jokes] We’re one of the few fishmongers that, when the season starts, sits down with each client when they write their menus and explain to them what products we’ll have at each time of year. Because you haven’t got any fish until you’re holding it in your hand.
What is the current situation of Ibiza’s fishing sector and what are the biggest challenges it faces?
The main challenge faced by the fishing sector is the shift to the next generation. The next generation doesn’t want to work in fishing. And there’s a lack of grants for new boat permits and to restore boats.
