Life is Better at the Beach. Better? That would be impossible!

There are decisions that, without shouting it from the rooftops, end up changing the direction of a life. Sena Pallero arrived in Ibiza 15 years ago after a career in hospitality, events, the restaurant sector, and the creation of concepts in Madrid. What began as a professional opportunity on the island turned into a way of life and a commitment to a place to which he has become deeply attached. Since then, his life has been characterised by work, by respect for the island’s spaces and by the will to create projects with soul. Firstly in Las Dalias, a legendary location to which he has devoted much of his professional life, and then via various restaurants and establishments including PaloSanto, Nudo, Luum — and now El Clo, an initiative based at the former El Clodenis in San Rafael.

From studying psychology and working on hospitality projects and events in Madrid to establishing your professional life in Ibiza: how did you make that leap?
I began when I was very young in Madrid, while I was studying psychology, and working in hospitality, leisure and events. During those years I learnt a lot: how to build a team, how to create concepts, and to understand that with any project, you need to take great care of the details and of people.

Fifteen years ago, I came to Ibiza to work on a project linked to Las Dalias. It was an opportunity that arrived at a particular moment of my life, and which immediately connected me to something very profound. The island captivated me, as did Las Dalias: its history, its energy and the people who inhabited that universe. In time, I realised that I belonged here. I finished things up in Madrid and planned to build a life and undertake some projects in Ibiza, but gradually and with respect, with the awareness that I was in a very special place.

PaloSanto © Life is Better

Ibiza has changed a great deal in those 15 years. What is the secret to evolving without losing your direction?
I don’t know whether there is a secret, but in our case we have always tried to be honest in what we do. Trying to create concepts that make sense, and to promote the gastronomy, service, décor and the ambience, but without losing the essential character.

Ibiza has changed so much, and we have evolved along with it. To me, the important thing is not to be led by growth for the sake of growth. Every project must have a purpose, a team behind it, and a clear identity. Sometimes, it’s more a question of improving what you already have, rather than starting something new. I am also a great believer in surrounding myself with good people. Everything we’ve built has been possible thanks to a great number of people who have been here in good times and bad. 

Akasha © Life is Better

How can you modernise an icon such as Las Dalias without destroying it?
With a lot of respect. Las Dalias is a place with a great history, a very strong identity, and many generations who think of it as a part of their lives. For me, it has always been essential to understand that before touching anything.

The challenge has been to improve it and add things without destroying its soul. We renovated the café so that it could operate all year round, we created the garden, we developed PaloSanto, we drove forward the Akasha project... It has all had to be done in stages, carefully, and by listening to the place itself.

In terms of music, too, we have tried to broaden the range without losing the establishment’s personality: bringing in artists such as Manu Chao, Chambao and Alex Serra with great names from the electronic scene such as Sven Väth, Laurent Garnier and Hernán Cattáneo. But we always have one clear idea in mind: Las Dalias must go on being Las Dalias.

LU·UM © Life is Better

Within the Life is Better universe, establishments such as Nudo, PaloSanto and Luum seem to represent different aspects of you...
Yes, in each of those places there is something very personal, but they also have a large element of the people I worked with to build them. Nudo is my most direct link with the sea, and with a simpler, more natural Ibiza. We spent many years in Es Figueral with our feet on the sand, and after the pandemic we took the gastronomy side forward. But you cannot appreciate Nudo without my partners, who are an important part of the spirit of my project. It is a place that  has grown thanks to that combination of hard work, trust and love of the product.

Luum represents another vital moment. It is a project I developed along with Shadeh, my wife who, as well as being my life partner, is also my business partner there. We have worked on it calmly, taking care of the terrace, the décor, the lighting, the service, and that feeling of it being a special place while keeping it natural.

PaloSanto was born out of our love for Mexico, for its cuisine and for its culture. We have tried to do it respectfully, by surrounding ourselves with people who know far more than we do in order to produce something authentic. We are very excited to have had our Copil certification renewed for the second time, because they recognise the care we take with recipes, techniques and ingredients.

After 15 years in Ibiza, I still feel that the important thing is to learn, to take care of what we do, and to surround myself with good people

And now, El Clo in San Rafael...
We are very excited about the El Clo project because it takes us a little out of our comfort zone, which has been the north, and brought us to San Rafael, next to the church, somewhere that has a significant place in the island’s history.

We have developed El Clo from the former Clodenis, a place regarded with great affection, and that has made us work with considerable respect. The idea is to create a restaurant for the evening and the night, with a well-cared-for garden, a raw bar, cocktails and a few nods to Mexican and Nikkei cuisine, but above all a place where people can feel comfortable.

El Clo © Life is Better

After this 15th anniversary, what are Life is Better’s plans for the near future?
I am not thinking about over-ambitious growth. I am very focused on El Clo and on improving on what we already have. I believe that is the real responsibility: to take care of the projects, to take care of the teams, and not to lower our standards. And, above all else, I look to the future with gratitude. Gratitude to Ibiza, to Las Dalias, to my partners, my wife, my daughter, my friends and my entire team. They are the real reason that I can enjoy today.