AIXÒ ÉS MEL, THE NEW MENU WITH WHICH RESTAURANT FERA IN PALMA GOES BEYOND MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE TO DELVE INTO RURAL ORIGINS
Fera in Palma, led by Austrian chef Simon Petutschnig, evolves from a broader Mediterranean cuisine concept with international influences to a proposal deeply rooted in the Mallorcan territory, highlighting local products and producers.
After 7 years since its opening, the chef reflects his culinary knowledge of the island’s interior and coasts in a new proposal that emphasizes Mallorca’s culinary heritage. A journey through its villages, from the heart of the city, and a commitment to the natural and agricultural environment, accentuated by the production of their own wine, olive oil, and honey.
- The new menu, consisting of 10 courses, will be available from 28th September, showcasing the richness of Mallorcan land, priced at 145 euros, available for both lunch and dinner.
- Recipes that reflect the connection with farmers and local villages through the use of organic vegetables like the ones from Miquel from Hortus Domi, Son Jover cheeses, black pig sobrasada from Can Company, Bluefin tuna from Baleares, and Mallorcan red shrimp caught by Vaquero Crespi.
- Wines, oils, and honey of their own production emerge on the menu from the Son Naava estate in Montuiri, owned by the Levy family—who lead the project alongside the chef—and where biodynamic farming has been strictly practiced for 14 years, certified by the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International.
- The menu takes its name “Això és mel” (“This is honey”) from the local expression praising dishes perceived as exquisite and surroundings that feel comforting. Additionally, mel (honey in Mallorcan) ties the concept together with a dessert that incorporates honey along with pollen, caramel, and milk.
- Fera, located in an old palace in the historic center of Palma with a space divided into two levels and an interior garden, embarks on a new stage where a deep connection to the territory becomes the epicenter of the culinary proposal and extends to its interior design through a connection with local art.
Palma de Mallorca, 18th September 2024. Fera restaurant, located in the historic center of Palma de Mallorca, will launch a new menu on 28th September that pays homage to rural origins and traditional Mallorcan cuisine, from its mountains to its Mediterranean coasts, all viewed through the fine dining lens that characterizes the restaurant.
Executive chef Simon Petutschnig, who leads the project alongside Swiss entrepreneurs Ivan and Sheela Levy, has crafted a new menu, «Això és Mel,» aimed at capturing the essence of the island of Mallorca through its local products and recipes. This marks an evolution from the initial concept linked to Mediterranean cuisine with international and Asian influences that has defined the restaurant’s path over the past 7 years.
The new proposal, available for 145 euros and comprising ten courses, begins with a selection of Mediterranean tapas, followed by seven main courses, a pre-dessert and one dessert. Available for both lunch and dinner, a reduced version of the menu with four courses is also offered. Additionally, there are two vegetarian menu options available, in both shorter and longer formats.
The menu’s name, «Això és Mel,» in Mallorcan, is a local expression that praises recipes perceived as exquisite and settings that feel comforting, aligning with what the menu seeks to convey. Moreover, «Mel» (honey in Mallorcan) closes the circle with a dessert that incorporates this ingredient along with pollen, caramel, and milk.
The menu serves as an ode to the land and sea that have nourished Mallorcans for centuries, with a focus on authenticity and the quality of ingredients as fundamental pillars of the proposal. From tender lamb raised in the Tramuntana mountains, paired with vegetables like green beans, tomatoes, or eggplant from nearby farms—which will vary according to the season—to Mediterranean fish from the sea that bathes its coasts, as well as deeply rooted products such as Mallorcan sobrasada and local cheeses.
The commitment to environmental and social sustainability is also reflected in the menu, through its connection with the surroundings and its efforts towards their revitalization. This anchoring to the territory is demonstrated not only through daily work with local suppliers from nearby villages but also through a commitment to self-production, using biodynamic methods, of olive oil, wine, honey, and lemons at the Son Naava estate in the village of Montuiri, owned by the Levy family for the past 14 years. Their production is certified by the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International.
Austrian-born chef Simon Petutschnig, who has lived on the island for over 10 years—allowing him an extensive understanding of local cuisine—shares his philosophy on the project and the new menu: «Mallorca and its people have given me many beautiful experiences, and the island has been my home for over 10 years. It’s important for me to give something back to this land through the tribute we pay with the new menu.»
Enhancing the Environment through Self-Production of Olive Oil and Wine and Connecting with Local Farmers
Own Products: Olive Oil and Wine from Son Naava
From the heart of the island, amidst windmills and vineyards, many of the products that form the gastronomic proposal of Fera originate, such as wine, olive oil, honey, citrics and almonds from the Son Naava estate in Montuiri (Porreres). The estate, covering 8 hectares, was acquired in 2010 by the Levy family.
The production of olive oil at Son Naava developed alongside a beautiful friendship of its owners. In this way, the Levy family, after planting 500 olive trees on the estate, decided to add 2,500 more olive trees in partnership with agronomist Carlos Feliu, owner of the agrotourism Can Feliu in Porreres, under the motto of returning more to the soil than what is taken from it.
The extra virgin olive oil, 100% Arbequina, produced in-house, is used and consumed in the restaurant and is the only one with the Demeter certification in the Balearic Islands, reflecting the sustainability in its production and its 100% biodynamic regime.
Additionally, the bread in the menu is inspired by this olive oil and it’s made with 100% native Xeixa flour from the island, it and includes thyme, olives and salt from Flor de Sal d’Es Trenc.
Self-Produced Wine at the Son Naava Estate
Among the extensive selection of wines offered at Fera, we can find the biodynamic wines from the Montesion Wine Estate, whose vines are grown along the principals of biodynamic organic soils managed by the Can Feliu winery.
The vineyard at Son Naava focuses on producing high-end wines, made from native grape varieties such as Manto Negro, Callet, or Prensal Blanc, which give the wines the distinctive character of the island. Furthermore, the production is entirely developed through sustainable and biodynamic practices that follow lunar cycles, creating wines that reflect the unique terroir of Mallorca.
Including these wines on Fera’s menu not only shows coherence with the flavors and local products of its gastronomic proposal but also connects diners with the region’s rich winemaking heritage, providing an authentic and local experience.
Collaboration and daily work with local producers
The connection with farmers and villages in the area is reflected in every dish on the menu through a careful selection of local raw materials,prioritizing quality and flavor.
Throughout the new proposal, there is a wide variety of organic vegetables, garden produce, and fruits from the area, cultivated in the Miquel’s garden from Hortus Domi, such as tomatoes, beets, green beans, eggplant, or tomatoes, not forgetting the figs from Son Mut Nou in Marina de Llucmajor, grown on arid and rocky land under the Mediterranean sun, enhancing their flavor.
Furthermore, cheeses stand out as one of the iconic products of the local cuisine on the menu. One of its courses, goat cheese mousse with beetroot and figs, is based on goat cheese handcrafted by the Son Jover cheese factory, which has been working organically since 1993, producing with native breeds that graze in their mountains. They have 500 red Mallorcan sheep and 100 Malaga goats, grazing on 960 hectares of pasture in Mallorca for 7 hours daily, producing 100% goat or sheep milk cheeses, without blends and with natural rinds.
Beyond goat cheese, the menu also offers a selection of cheeses from the Balearic Islands, available separately for 16 euros, including 3 varieties of Grimalt local cheeses.
Fish, seafood, and mollusks from the island’s fishermen also play a prominent role in the menu.
One of the courses, squid with sea fennel and egg yolk, features fresh squid daily caught by Toni Fiol Vallori in his ships “S’Estell” and “El Baloan” in Palma Bay. A dish that, on one hand, seeks to reflect respect for the island’s nature, where sustainable fishing and gastronomy go hand in hand, and also alludes to the island’s rural culture, where this mollusk is traditionally prepared simply, grilled, with EVOO, garlic, and parsley. The chef reinterprets the recipe aiming to maintain the original squid flavors, with minimal intervention, only adding sea fennel that grows on the island’s rocky coasts and egg yolk with ecologic eggs from Bio Can Goi farm.
Additionally, the tuna accompanied by escabeche, tomato, and pipará is caught by the company Bluefin Baleares directly from Mediterranean waters, and the red Mallorcan shrimp, used in a suquet accompanied by sobrasada, potato, and parsley, is caught by Vaquero Crespi, specialized in fresh trawl fishing.
In the meat spectrum, we find typical sausages like the porc negre sobrasada, accompanying a shrimp suquet with potato and parsley, from Can Company, which produces its own certified cereal seed to feed its livestock.
Another meat course on the menu is lamb, with sweetbreads sourced from the Jaume family at Ses Cabanasses in Petra. They have a 300-hectare organic farm where lambs are raised freely. This dish, served with local green beans and eggplant, expresses the rural life of the island by cooking what the land offers and aiming for maximum use of the animal. It is a dish that speaks to the closeness to the land and the art of transforming the simplest products into a celebration of Mallorcan taste and tradition.
Additionally, for meat lovers, a wagyu course will be available as an extra. The meat comes from Mudéjar Wagyu, in Teruel, and the course is linked to the chef’s personal passion for this ingredient and to the Asian origins he has worked on in his previous career.
Local products and producers are also reflected in the final part of the menu, with desserts. Highlighted, for example, is the “Gin & Tonic” dessert, accompanied by lemon, mint, and cucumber, using Gin Palma from local producer Mallorca Distillery, which works with this organic gin distilled with local wildflowers and fresh citrus from the fields of Mallorca. Its main flavor comes from Mallorcan juniper berries, capturing the subtle essence of the Mediterranean Sea, achieving a fresh, dry, and citrusy gin.
NEW MENU “AIXÒ ÉS MEL”
TAPAS SELECTION
SON NAAVA BREAD
Inspired by Olive Oil
GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE
Beetroot / Figs
LINE-CAUGHT SQUID
Sea Fennel / Egg Yolk
BLUEFIN TUNA
Escabeche / Tomato / Pipará
RED PRAWN SUQUET
Sobrasada / Potato / Parsley
LAMB
Green Beans / Eggplant / Sweetbread
WAGYU MUDEJA +€69
BALEARIC ISLANDS CHEESE SELECTION +€16
GIN & TONIC
Lemon / Mint / Cucumber
HONEY
Pollen / Caramel / Milk
Selection of Sweet Surprises
Price per person: €145
The Beverage Proposal
The wine list at Fera takes a journey through selected local producers, along with international references. There is a wide selection of original red and white wines from Mallorca, such as the biodynamic wines from the Montesion Wine Estate , whose vines are grown along the principals of biodynamic organic soils managed by the Can Feliu winery.
The wine list also extends to other regions of Spain such as D.O. Rioja, D.O. Rías Baixas, and D.O. El Terrerazo, and features global references from countries such as France, Austria, Italy, Hungary, South Africa, Chile, and the United States. Grape varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, among others.
Additionally, it is complemented by a selection of sweet and fortified wines, as well as brandy and grappa references.
To close, some varieties of the award-winning Difference Coffee are also offered. Like wine, Arabica coffee is scored using a 100-point system created by the Specialty Coffee Association. Only authorized judges, called Q Graders, score this coffee according to its characteristics such as flavor, aroma, and aftertaste. Among the varieties offered are Jamaica Blue Mountain, Wild Kopi Luwak, and Panama Geisha.
On Fera’s space and its connection to local art
Fera, which has been open for 7 years, is located in an old mansion in the heart of Palma’s historic quarter, at number 4 Calle de la Concepción, very close to the junction between Paseo del Borne and Calle Unión.
The restaurant welcomes you with different spaces, spread over two floors and an interior garden surrounded by vegetation, which also follows the feng-shui style marked by Sheela Levy – a great lover and connoisseur of her practices. In this way, the aim is to recreate a conscious and harmonious atmosphere that achieves a positive influence on the diners and staff of Fera. The space also had to satisfy Sheela Levy’s wish to create a space for guests that they can call home.
Fera also has a reserved area inside, a more intimate space in a library with a capacity for up to 16 people.
Fera’s local roots are not only evident in its gastronomic offer and culinary philosophy, but are also reflected in its interior design and decoration. The space oozes Mediterranean flair in connection with local art: from the entrance with the sculpture by Lin Utzon, an artist with a studio in Santanyí, to the thread artwork by Sóller artist Toni Garau and the canvases by Menorcan painter Antoni Pedraza.
About Chef Simon Petutschnig
From the tranquil hills of Eberstein, Austria, to the warm shores of Mallorca, Simon has journeyed far on his culinary path. With over 20 years of experience in Spain, his career is marked by a deep connection to local gastronomy, a journey of self-discovery, and continuous learning that has led him to work alongside some of the most renowned chefs in the country.
Catalonia and the Balearic Islands have been key points in his training, where Simon developed his style as a self-taught chef. What began as an escape and a way to take risks soon became a space to experiment with new flavors and connect with the local culture. Throughout his career, he has worked in prestigious restaurants alongside renowned chefs such as Jordi Vilà, Sergi Arola, and Paco Pérez, at the award-winning Miramar, which boasts two Michelin stars.
The past ten years in Mallorca have been crucial for Simon, not only as a chef but also as a resident of the island. He has come to understand the local rhythm, get to know the residents who live there year-round, and the visitors who arrive each summer. During this time, he has deeply explored the most representative products and recipes of the region, fusing native ingredients with his own culinary vision while always respecting his Austrian roots.
However, what makes his approach unique is his ability to integrate an international perspective into every dish. His concept of «international rustic cuisine» goes beyond a simple label. It is a philosophy that combines the richness of local ingredients, both from the sea and the land, with global techniques and flavors. The result is a menu that brings together the best of both worlds, offering an experience that reflects both the place he comes from and the one he has learned to love.
About the Levy family: Ivan and Sheela
This story is a testament to a deep love for the island of Mallorca, where the connection between people, place and business success comes to life.
Swiss entrepreneurs Ivan and Sheela Levy decided to invest in Mallorca and spend part of the year on the island after acquiring the Son Naava property. There, they started producing biodynamic olive oil, fusing their love of nature with the local environment.
Their love for the island led the couple to open the restaurant Fera, a space that reflects their devotion to Mallorca. At Fera, their passions for gastronomy and local culture combine, working hand in hand with their partner chef Simon Petutschnig, with whom they share a common goal: to offer a unique culinary experience connected to the island, its products and local producers.
Previously, their success in business dates back to 1983 when Ivan and Sheela established the first «The Body Shop» franchise in Switzerland. Over the years, their business grew and expanded to 50 locations. They then decided to sell the franchise to «Coop», a company similar to Mercadona, which turned out to be an excellent business for both parties.
It was this strategic decision that allowed them to take the next big step in their lives: to invest in Mallorca and create Fera, the restaurant that today represents their deep connection with the island and its gastronomic legacy.
Everything You Need to Know
Fera Palma
ferapalma.com
Instagram: @FeraPalma
LOCATION
Carrer de la Concepció, 4 – Palma de Mallorca, 07012
OPENING HOURS
- Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday:
13:00 – 17:00 and 18:30 – 24:00.
(Kitchen open from 13:00 – 15:00 and 18:30 – 22:00.) - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: Closed
Communications Contact
Mateo&co Madrid · Spain
Beatriz de la Fuente
Email: beatrizd@mateoandco.es
Phone: +34 696 044 148