Photo: © Valentine Riccardi
At Mariner, Oliver has achieved something truly challenging: balancing flavor, technique and aesthetics within Mediterranean cuisine, a style constantly shaped by influences from other corners of the world. The result is a menu where outstanding ingredients always take center stage, with fish and seafood arriving fresh each day from the local fish markets to create dishes such as deboned Ibiza skate with beurre blanc and trout roe with beetroot, or open ravioli of island red prawn in its own juices.
The icing on the cake came with Oliver being named Ibiza’s best chef in 2025 by the Acadèmia de Gastronomia d’Eivissa I Formentera, an award that provides the perfect excuse to spend some time with one of the island’s great culinary figures.
The success of chef Oliver Pérez has deep roots. “My parents, who ran the restaurant Oliver’s in Sitges for more than 30 years, taught me from a very young age the value of hard work, commitment, responsibility and dedication.” From there, the chef built a long career with stops in London, Barcelona and, finally, Ibiza, where he has spent the last 10 years leading Mariner, a benchmark restaurant in the port area.
How does receiving the award for best chef on the island influence the way you understand cooking?
There are many extraordinary chefs with remarkable careers and that’s exactly why I value this recognition so deeply. But above all, I see it as a collective award. Behind it are years of effort, patience and perseverance from an entire team.
Mariner’s concept has carried your signature from the very beginning. What kind of experience do you hope guests enjoy when they come to your restaurant?
We want guests to feel cared for and to enjoy an experience that feels close and authentic. Beyond the food, we want to convey warmth, honesty and the work of a team that is deeply committed to making people happy.
Your cooking is rooted in technique guided by the product itself. What has been your most inspiring recent discovery?
Over the years you realize that cooking moves in cycles and that, very often, the most inspiring thing is returning to the classics and reinterpreting them through experience and a contemporary sensibility. Rather than searching for something extravagant, I’m interested in rediscovering familiar products and flavors, giving them a new perspective and finding the balance between tradition and evolution.
You have always defended an honest approach to cooking. What does that concept mean to you?
For me it means respect: respect for the product, for the customer and for the work behind every dish. Above all, it means caring for and valuing the people who prepare and serve those dishes every day.
Barcelona, London, Ibiza… what has each stage of your career contributed to your understanding of the profession?
I’ve learned something everywhere I’ve been. To summarize, I’d say London taught me discipline and how to work hard, but also how to keep an open mind toward other cultures. From Barcelona, I take with me the experience of working with great culinary references from whom I learned a great deal. In Ibiza, I had the opportunity to help launch Lío and be part of its early years and, of course, to create Mariner, my first personal project where I continue learning something new every day.
Fusion is a defining feature of many of your creations. In an increasingly globalized world, what is the key to continuing to surprise people?
The key is respect and authenticity. Fusion doesn’t mean mixing things together for the sake of it but understanding the origin of every flavor and making sure everything feels coherent. Surprise should come from harmony, not excess.
After 30 years working in professional kitchens, which dish would you say best represents your identity as a chef?
Rather than choosing a single dish, I’d say my identity comes from a foundation in traditional cooking that I’ve always tried to honor and respect, combined with the influences gathered from travel, from restaurants I’ve visited and from those where I’ve worked. It’s not only a professional identity but also a personal one, because it has been shaped over time through experience and everything I’ve lived in the kitchen.
Carrer Lluís Tur i Palau, Ibiza
Tel. (+34) 971 315 234
marineribiza.com
