BLOG
Destino’s Secret Ingredients
From crazy open air parties and dream weddings to private and corporate events food always plays an important role in the overall experience
October 04, 2019
Incredible location, white and sensual Balearic architecture and picture-perfect views are the starting point whether you are guest, a day visitor or one of the staff members at Destino Pacha Resort. It needs at least 250 people to start off the season and almost 100 more when the resort is hosting a big event. From crazy open air parties and dream weddings to private and corporate events, food always plays an important role in the overall experience.
Destino Pacha’s kitchen is made up of 31 staff members between managers, chefs, helpers and stewards plus the staff working connected to the kitchen work such as room service, minibars, poolside life, servers and bartenders making a total of 78 people.
Daniel Barrabés Taylor has been at Destino Pacha Resort since 2014 and became Head Chef this season. He loves teamwork and enjoys getting ready for big challenges.
How do you get organized for big events?
Staff is the most important part – not only for big events, but for any type of service. I don’t like to face new projects if I won’t be able to count on at least 70% of my trusted staff. Secondly, a good purchasing plan, be precise with the mis en place and a suitable strategy are crucial to create the best atmosphere and make the service as fluid as possible. To finalize, internal and interdepartmental communication are really important.
Who are the most demanding customers?
This is hard to answer. Nowadays we have to deal with more trained, better informed and much more demanding costumers. The quality of the service must represent a strategic opportunity.
The idea is to train our staff very well because Destino is positioned in a market where all the guests are very demanding.
Which is the hardest recipe for you to prepare?
Without a doubt, new recipes in which I have no experience in. At Destino you have to be always ready to cook anything that a customer can ask for.
What do you rely on to create the menus?
I keep evolving with the new trends but obviosuly all the knowledge acquired through my experience as a Chef makes any challenge a goal in the kitchen. Destino menus are done not just by me but also with each of the members of the team. We are specialists in different things, so I like to design the menus with Carlos Lopez (sous chef), Eva Senserrichc (pastry chef), Carlos Febles (Sushi chef) and Wanda Diaz (breakfast pastry chef). We learn a lot from each other!
Where do you get the inspiration from? Any chefs?
I learn from all world renowned chefs, they have their own style and identity so they all have aspects that I like to learn from. Also, I love any chef who makes good traditional cuisine such as Sergio Herman, Dani Garcia, Joan Roca, Quique dacosta, Pellicer, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Marc Gascons, Ricard Camarena, Tetsuya Wakada, Peter Gilmore, Bittor Arginzoniz, Issac Salaberria, Mauro Colagreco, Jordi Roca and Oriol Castro just to name a few. I love pastry and follow Pierre Herme, Frederic Bau, Oriol Balaguer, Paco Torreblanca.
Essential ingredients for cooking: Salt and Spanish olive oil
Favourite dish: Paella (as you can appreciate through my Instagram account – @barradangerous77).
Favorite Cocktail: Any of them, it is a matter of choosing the best moment for it.
What do you like the most about being Destino’s Chef?
The deal with the customers: when you have reached or exceeded their expectations, you can see it in their faces. It is very satisfying for the whole team as we all work hard to reach these moments.
If you were not in the culinary industry, what would you be doing?
A Pro rider of any water board sport.
What is the difference between being a chef or cook?
The theory says that as a chef you have to be a good leader. Managing all the aspects in the kitchen as well as the administrative aspects. The difference lies in education and experience. A cook is more involved in the practical part of cooking, he is the one who puts into practice the true activity of the businessand that is ultimately feeding customers. Anyway, the chef must be a good manager but needs a good team to suceed.
