This week in our series of interviews with vegan businesses we’re delighted to interview the well-known vegan chef of the island, Sandra. Her restaurant Sabores de Sandra located in Palma, goes by its name ‘flavours of Sandra‘. Sandra is constantly trying new dishes and experimenting with plant-based ingredients.
We’re excited to share the news that Sandras restaurant will be opening now from 12pm until 10.30pm everyday with a delicious new menu to try!
Tell us about Sabores de Sandra…
Actually I have a degree in Social Communication and in Mallorca I worked in Human Resources Training (as a freelance consultant). I have been a trainer in Leadership and Intercultural Communication for high officials of the Balearic Government, in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza.
In 2011, due to the economic crisis, I ran out of courses to give and many bills to pay.
It occurred to me to re-invent myself professionally because I was always a cook. Almost without economic resources I was creating this business. Thanks to the support of many people who believed in my project, today I am the owner and self-taught chef of Sandra’s humble Sabores Vegan Restaurant. My restaurant is based on values:
- Take care of the planet.
- To take care of the sentient beings
- To establish networks of collaborative economy. If someone needs a space to promote these values in an altruistic way, I offer you the restaurant so you can meet and promote this social change.
How did you discover Mallorca?
In 1999 I lived in Miami USA. There I met my ex-boyfriend from Mallorca, Toni (a sanyasin from Osho).
Toni invited me to spend the holidays on his island and I never left Mallorca, although the relationship only lasted about 5 years.
What makes Mallorca unique for vegans?
It is a cosmopolitan city, with a high level of hospitality services. Mallorca is surrounded by a sea of clean turquoise waters. The Tramuntana mountains are spectacular for sports.
How long have you been a vegan and what made you change?
I started a vegetarian diet as a teenager, for spiritual reasons. I took my preaching to the university I attended and because of this, my classmates nicknamed me GURU
In 2012 I gained access to information about the damage caused by the egg and dairy industry. It was easy for me to make the leap to veganism, because I had been a vegetarian for a long time.
What is your signature dish and why?
Customers love two: My legendary lasagna, made with traditional-style tomato sauce and cheese béchamel. Another very famous dish is the Greek Spanakopita, a phyllo roll filled with spinach and homemade vegan cheese. For dessert, I always make cakes with wholemeal Xeixa, our local flour, from seeds rescued by the Slow Food movement’s Ark of Flavors. The most requested cakes: Carrot with cashew cream and Chocolate with peanut cream.
What has been your proudest moment during your career?
As a self-taught chef who cooked at home until 2018, I was very happy that the journalists of the Última Hora newspaper dedicated two reports to me before I could open a restaurant.
Any advice for someone starting a vegan business in Mallorca?
Start with a good, affordable cushion. Here it takes patience to run a vegan business that is sustainable.
Do you think the vegan community is growing on the island?
Well, given what we saw in January 2020, when vegan businesses like LOVEgano, the Compost restaurant and the Mexican Vegan restaurant closed, I think the sector is NOT growing. Many people adopted veganism for fashion or trend over the years 2015-2018, gradually abandoning it if it was not based on ethics. That totally caused vegan businesses to have little profitability. The local vegan community is very small. Foreign visitors are more aware but we cannot depend on this sector in times of COVID 19.
In my opinion, only with a change that is based on ethical values, veganism has a future.
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