What does a private chef in Mallorca do in low season?
Winter is the perfect time to slow down, reflect on and reevaluate what went well and what can be improved for next season. In summer the work tempo in Mallorca is high for a private chef so I find it extra important to take it easy and to turn the focus inward this time of the year. But it’s also a great time to get moving, spend time in nature and with friends, to play, to explore and to get inspired.
Here’s a little list of the main things I get up to in winter, and if it seems interesting I might share more of these in detail down the line:
2. Time away from coking is also important. Hiking is one of my absolute favourite pastimes in winter. The air is crisp and the mountains to climb are plenty so are the wild goats. The Tramuntana mountain chain is a unesco heritage site and when you’re exploring them you understand why. The views are stunning and there’s quite a lot of wild life. It’s incredible that we get to have such vast amounts of untouched nature on such a poplurar little island!
3. On the weekends hikes usually lead to lunch. I love exploring new gems as well as visiting my old favourites when it’s less busy here on the island. Some are always packed though and you need to make a reservation regardless of season. I love exploring high and low. Here, some pics from when I went to Fera for my mums birthday in December.
As well as from post hike lunches in the villages where my friends and I tend to end up after completing our mountain missions.
4. It’s also the best time of the year since most of my friends are around. In summer some goes on holiday while other go away with work, yachts mostly. I stay here in Mallorca but I usually don’t have many days off in summer so I try to see my friends as much as possible in low season.
5. During the weekdays in winter I focus on art. Cooking for me is a creative expression. But I love changing up the mediums, in summer as a private chef I create with food but in winter I use other mediums. I write, paint and do ceramics.
6. And reading. I often have periods when I read almost constantly followed by no reading at all for a while. Right now I have a fun inspiring mix of both facts and fiction.
7. I almost always listen to music so I make playlists through the year but most of them are made in low season. They then go on repeat the rest of the year. Like this one for running or this one for stormy evenings (not too many of those in summer tbh) or this one for whenever else.
As you might have noticed, most of what I do end up circling back to food in one way or another anyway. Hikes leads to lunch, ceramics end up serving food, visits normally rotate around eating experiences, books inspire, playlists to be listened to while driving to jobs, shopping or prepping, etc etc.
I thought it could perhaps be a nice idea to share a bit more of these not-exactly-food things here on the blog as well. That way this blog will become more of a glimpse in to a private chef in Mallorca’s world rather than just recipes and jobs I’ve done. Digging a bit deeper one could say. Would you interested in reading about such things?
