Villa Mercedes: the team that makes all the difference
This summer, Villa Mercedes is home to a brand new team for both the dining area and the kitchen, who is especially devoted to rising up to the standards of such a special space like our charming villa built in the early 20th century. After several months of hard work, we wanted to introduce some of the stars providing our patrons with a wonderful dinner in San Antonio overlooking the harbour.
In an island that witnesses the coming and going of fleeting restaurants opened to match the latest trends, Villa Mercedes Ibiza is loyal to the island’s roots, getting rid of empty noise and meaningless storytelling. This is where the teams led by David Guerra (manager) and Iván Ronchera (chef), made up of 9 people in the dining area and 5 in the kitchen, have jointly added a unique character to Villa Mercedes’ own charms.
Front and back of house: one smooth-working machinery at Villa Mercedes
One can’t conceive of Villa Mercedes’ kitchen without the dining area or vice versa. Whatever is lovingly cooked in the kitchen must reach the table with the same intention: the customer’s utmost satisfaction. A common goal embodied by the coordination between both teams to ensure a consistent experience from end to end.
Meet the Villa Mercedes team: the dining area
A staff who truly cares about the patrons and serves them with proper interest makes all the difference and speaks for itself. Our customers not only leave Villa Mercedes satisfied with their food experience, they also take with them the pleasant time they’ve spent with the staff as one can see from the reviews on Google Maps this season, with splendid references to the work done by, for example, Bárbara Martínez, second manager, and the servers Manuel and Jennifer. According to our customers, the kindness, treatment and helpfulness of the staff in the dining area is an essential ingredient of the dinners and after-dinners at Villa Mercedes.
This recognition for a well-done job is proof that success is not only a matter of serving dishes on time, but also knowing how to read the table, recommend a dish, prepare a cocktail with care and simply be available without bothering the customer. Germán, Judit, Génesis, Baltazar, Macarena and Micaela are the other members of this excellent front-of-house team, who earn the customers’ trust and make many of them come back before the end of their holidays, or in the case of the locals, before the end of season.
The successful work done at the front of house is largely thanks to David Guerra, who has broad experience in luxury hotels and has focused on a more personal project where customer service is honest and authentic and teamwork flows smoothly through comradeship, creating a true atmosphere of joint effort without individualistic stars.
The kitchen team: honesty and know-how
While David Guerra drives the front of house atmosphere and team, Iván Ronchera is at the helm of the kitchen dynamics. Born in Valencia and passionate about paella and rice dishes, this chef is in charge of imprinting a fantastic food memory on Villa Mercedes’ customers. The great ratings received this year show the success of his proposal based on local produce and his own creativity and know-how. And all this merges into a carefully devised menu without artifice that includes traditionally cooked fish typical of Mediterranean cuisine, meat grilled on the Josper grill and, above all, his signature speciality: Levante-style rice dishes cooked in a llauna or baking tin.
Alejandro Pérez and Jorge Lara Zotes accompany him in the kitchen along with Marcial, Lourdes and Mariano, working to guarantee that no dish leaves the kitchen without meeting the highest standards set by the team to ensure the customer’s total satisfaction.
The final touches: music and atmosphere
The live music, garden lights and the villa’s architecture are the icing on the cake as highlighted by many of our customers in their reviews and recommendations. During this season, mellow music comes from either artists performing live, like Jodie Kean and Swingin Tonic, or from our resident DJs, Sensy, Pau Mind and Volte. A unique touch to build the perfect vibe, that encourages customers to stay on after dinner chatting while listening to music and enjoying a delicious, refreshing cocktail. And of course, we mustn’t forget María José’s work as she is in charge of keeping everything spotless and sanitised: obviously the basic ingredient in any restaurant.
Book and enjoy summer at Villa Mercedes
If you’d like to enjoy a special dinner with a view of San Antonio harbour with friends or a date, we suggest you book from our website or call (+34) 971 348 543. And if you need anything special or would like our staff to be in on a special surprise for your partner, let us know and we’ll help make your dinner even more perfect. David, Iván, Bárbara, Manuel, Alejandro, Jorge, Jennifer and the rest of the 18 team members are looking forward to meeting you.
See you soon!
Pictures: Nico Fdez. Marí / Villa Mercedes
