David Piccioni knows how to give people a good time from his days as a DJ. A love of the Ibizan coast brought the Brit, who prefers to describe himself as a nomad, to the Balearic Islands. Here he has created two restaurants and beach clubs, Amante Ibiza and Aiyanna Ibiza, where life pulsates at least as loudly as Piccioni’s beats used to.
FACES: How did you get into the restaurant business?
David Piccioni: I originally worked in the music industry. I had my own record company and a record store. But when music became available for free on the Internet, the business unfortunately came to an end. So I thought I’d open a restaurant – no one will be able to download delicious food over the Internet any time soon.
F: How would you describe your restaurant in one sentence?
David Piccioni: Incredible!
F: From the idea to the concept to the finished restaurant: How long did it take you to get there?
David Piccioni: It’s still a process; we’re constantly evolving – I’m never completely satisfied. (laughs)
F: Why should we definitely stay with you?
David Piccioni: We offer high quality food and drinks on a cliff overlooking an incredible bay. You have to experience it!
F: What do restaurateurs need to think about that others don’t?
David Piccioni: About how guests have a good experience; from arrival to departure. This is no easy task, because every guest has different requirements.
F: What are you worrying too much about?
David Piccioni: Ask me what I’m not worried about – that would be easier to answer. (laughs)
F: What are you like as a boss?
David Piccioni: I like to work with people who know what they’re doing – then I hold back and let them do their thing, especially when I know they’re better at it than I am. But I also like to communicate when I notice that there are difficulties somewhere.
F: What qualities does a good host need?
David Piccioni: 90 percent of communication with other people is non-verbal. It is therefore extremely important to be able to read these signs and moods.
F: What do you like most about guests?
David Piccioni: What I like best about our guests is the diversity. There are people from all over the world, from many different cultures, and they come together here in one place. I think that’s really cool. To be honest, I think the best guests are the ones who give honest feedback. This helps us to improve.
F: What do you dislike in guests?
David Piccioni: I’m not talking about that! (laughs)
David Piccioni: “The best guests are those who give honest feedback.”
F: What are your standards for your restaurant, and how have your guests’ expectations changed in recent years?
David Piccioni: The knowledge and appreciation of good food and the expectations of a restaurant have increased significantly. Anyone who works in the catering industry knows that standards have had to improve over the past ten years. And that’s a good thing.
F: As a restaurateur and host, you experience an exciting everyday life. What story do you have to tell us?
David Piccioni: There are so many, one day I will write a book about it. From the bride who threw her wedding ring at her husband on their wedding day and told him she wished she had never met him, to marriage proposals that didn’t go down so well, to the couple who came off the beach naked because they were told it was a nudist restaurant.
F: What do you look out for when you eat out yourself?
David Piccioni: I try not to pay attention to too many things, otherwise it becomes difficult to eat in a positive and relaxed way. Basically, everyone wants good value for money. I am no different.
F: What is the best restaurant in the world that you have stayed at?
David Piccioni: I don’t know which is the best restaurant in the world, I think it’s very individual. I have my favorite restaurants that have been good and above all clear and consistent over the years, such as Roka in London.
F: What do you cook for yourself?
David Piccioni: As a half-Italian, I grew up eating Italian food, so I’m very picky about my pasta. I would never order an amatriciana or carbonara in a restaurant outside of Italy, as it’s probably not as good as my own. (laughs)
F: Where is your own bed?
David Piccioni: I am a nomad: Ibiza in the summer, then later I’ll see what happens.
Amante Ibiza & Aiyanna Ibiza
Out of love for Sol d’en Serra, David Piccioni opened Amante Ibiza in 2009, followed by Aiyanna Ibiza on Cala Nova in 2017. With its award-winning beach restaurants and beach clubs, Piccioni creates places where you can dine with sandy feet and add a splash of color to your life. Mediterranean delicacies and a view of the bay of Sol d’en Serra await you in the Amante Ibiza restaurant, while the sister ship Aiyanna Ibiza in the north of the island celebrates the boho feeling on the beach.
Amante Ibiza, Cala Sol d’en Serra, 07849 Santa Eulalia des Riu, Ibiza, Spain, amanteibiza.com
Aiyanna Ibiza, Playa de Cala Nova, 07850 Cala Nova, San Carlos, Ibiza, Spain, aiyannaibiza.com
David Piccioni
David Piccioni had never actually dreamed of opening a restaurant. But of dominating the stages of the world. As a DJ, he used to work hard on the turntables, today he is the owner of the beach restaurants and beach clubs Aiyanna Ibiza and Amante Ibiza. Originally from Great Britain, Piccioni describes himself as half Italian and half South African, but above all he is one thing: a nomad. His days as a DJ have been numbered since 2009, but instead he spoils his guests on the picturesque coasts of Sol d’en Serra and Cala Nova with food, cocktails and everything else that makes a vacation an experience.
That’s what David Piccioni from…
Avocado:
A game of two halves.
Toast Hawaii:
Hawaii Oh-no!
Molecular cuisine:
That’s why I need the microscope.
Spray cream:
Only during sex.
Pre-sliced bread:
It’s like an open present.
Tofu:
Nothing is perfect.
Nose to Tail:
Only in France.
Vegan sausage:
We need a different name for it.
Nutella:
Anyone who uses a spoon for this is doing something wrong.
Thermomix:
Cheated!
Microwave:
Simply wrong, but, what the heck.
Chia:
Guarantees a long life up to 105.
Your favorite finished product:
A banana, the perfect package.
Read here where to find the best brunch in Zurich.
