Local suppliers are at the heart of our culinary philosophy in Mallorca, championed by our Executive Chef Javier López. A harmonious, sensitive approach to our environment and cultural surroundings is imperative.

On a quest to find Mallorca’s best local suppliers, Chef Javier uncovered the astounding tale of 80-year-old farmer Jaime Roselló. Over the past two decades, the islander has devoted himself tirelessly to the cultivation of over 3000 oak trees–each one planted individually–as he pursues his life’s dream of becoming the foremost truffle purveyor in the world.

Day after day, Roselló nurtures his soil to establish an environment where truffle spores harmoniously entwine with the roots of hand-planted trees on his Mallorcan farm. Such a painstaking journey demands unwavering passion and extraordinary patience – qualities that Roselló exemplifies through his relentless efforts.

Chef Javier takes immense pride in his exclusive collaboration with local producers such as Rosello, ensuring the procurement of unparalleled products. Below, Chef Javier shares his passion for local ingredients and how his friendship with Roselló unfolded.

So what drew you to Mallorca and what do you love about the Spanish island?

It's quite familiar for me as I come from Barcelona, it's just across the Mediterranean Sea. Mallorca is only 250 kilometres from Barcelona. So, in terms of homeland, I feel at home here.

The products are the same, the climate is the same, and there are some culinary similarities with my region, so I feel very much in my place and in my home. And then I enjoy bringing all my knowledge from working in different countries to our hotel.

Do you try to source mainly local ingredients?

We are really trying to get into the circular economy, into everything being local and sustainable, because we’re an island. I think it’s also important for our guests to feel connected with the place that they're in.

Located at the highest point of our hotel, you will find Es Fanals restaurant, a name that refers to the beacon used on the boats by ancient fishermen of the island to lure their catch while fishing at sea. The views of Port de Sóller are stunning.

Here we’ve developed a tasting menu where 100% of the ingredients are from the island. And that is a privilege for us - to be able to have the majority of our products from the island.

You're blessed with an abundance of fish and fresh vegetables at your fingertips. What are your favourite local ingredients?

The luxury that we have here is that we are an island with mountains, which create a valley. And this valley is very, very interesting in terms of food. We have all the citrus here. Then we have almonds, olive oil from a 500-year-old tree. We have a goat too, which is very typical of the island. And then we have the fish.

Fish for me is very important because our hotel is on a cliff. So you have the sea and the fish is coming just from here. I mean, the list of products is unbelievable. So we are really happy with the food that we get and our restaurant has become very famous as a result. The seafood arrives daily and then our guests can choose their own fish and we cook in front of them. It’s a very special experience.

And you said you enjoy going to the fish market. Can you tell us what it’s like?

The fish market opens early in the morning, because the fish arrive in the morning. I love to go and to see what they have. We also have a supplier from the mainland on the island and it's amazing to go to his place. They start to work at nighttime, at two o'clock, and it's incredible to see all the fish that they catch.

Truffle has taken the world by storm. It's something you would usually associate with Italy. Is it normal for truffles to grow in Mallorca?

When I came to Mallorca I couldn't believe that there were truffles here. It was such a joy to discover Jaime Rosello. He mainly grows summer truffles but what I love is that he lives so near, 20 kilometres away - so I just call him when I need fresh truffles. If the truffles aren’t quite right - he brings new ones right away. Other distributors can be more difficult about that sort of thing.

What do you love about Trufamo’s truffles?

Our partnership has a positive impact on every truffle harvested, nurturing the land it comes from. I like to take a moment to appreciate more than just the flavours – there's a story of commitment, passion, and ecological harmony woven into these truffles.

What kind of character is Jaime?

He's a nice character. He's a local, with a farmer’s hands and heart. He calls me every week to discuss his truffles. He also uses very sustainable methods to grow his truffles so we are very happy with him and he really is a character we’re fond of.

For the truffle fans, are there any special dishes to look out for on your menu which uses Jaime's truffles?

Yes, we use truffles everywhere here except there is one restaurant, the Sunset Lounge restaurant, which is more Peruvian and Japanese. In the two main restaurants, in the gastronomic and in the fish restaurant we use truffles in many of our dishes.

Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Mallorca from our striking retreat at Jumeirah Port de Soller Hotel & Spa.