Jan Edwards on Mallorca Restaurants, Real Reviews and Where to Eat Next

In this episode, Vicki McLeod welcomes food writer and Mallorca restaurant reviewer Jan Edwards back to the studio for a wide-ranging conversation about food, restaurants and life on the island.

Jan begins with the new edition of the Chefs(in) guide, a restaurant and cocktail bar guide covering Mallorca and the Balearics, before she and Vicki dive into chef culture, why the restaurant industry can still be difficult for women, and how changing dining habits may make the industry more family-friendly in future.

The conversation moves through new and notable restaurants, including El Bandarra, Selvacha, Shima at Hotel Formentor, Brusca brew pub in Manacor, Blanca Terra winery restaurant near Montuïri, Molí de Sant Rafel in Llubí and Ponderosa Beach.

Jan also explains how she approaches restaurant reviews, why she usually pays for her own meals, and why honest, unannounced reviewing matters.

There is also time for wine fairs, the Mallorca 312 traffic problem, Books Uncorked, literary dinners in Valldemossa, restaurant gossip, chef moves, Protur Chef, Reserva Rotana and a mention for Bhukkad Boca.

It is a warm, funny and food-filled episode for anyone who enjoys eating out in Mallorca, or simply likes hearing two women talk honestly about restaurants, real life and where to find the good stuff.

Suggested chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Jan Edwards returns to the studio

01:30 The new Chefs(in) guide

03:50 Chef culture and restaurant associations

04:40 Why are most chefs men?

07:20 Lunch, dinner and changing dining habits

08:55 Restaurants Jan wants to try

10:45 Shima at Hotel Formentor

11:30 Where to find the Chefs(in) guide

12:10 Sóller restaurants and Tuesday night closures

14:15 Brusca brew pub in Manacor

17:30 Eating out, balance and cheese

18:30 Beer tasting and flights

20:00 Traffic, cyclists and the Pollença wine fair

22:50 Blanca Terra winery restaurant

25:00 Terra Gust and farm-to-table food

27:40 Molí de Sant Rafel in Llubí

28:15 The bee museum in Llubí

30:00 Beef, barbecue and family restaurants

32:35 Why paella is a lunchtime dish

34:30 Ponderosa Beach

36:10 How Jan reviews restaurants

39:30 Books Uncorked

41:00 Literary dinners in Valldemossa

44:25 Andrés Benítez leaves Botànic

46:40 Protur Chef competition

51:30 Reserva Rotana

53:20 Aethos Mallorca in Peguera

55:00 Where to find Jan’s reviews

56:00 Bhukkad Boca recommendation

57:15 Closing thoughts