Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Claudio Passiatore, general manager of Chezz Gerdi in Formentera, one of the coolest places on the island.

Claudio, when did your experience in the restaurant industry begin?

I started to get passionate about this world very early on: I attended hotel school and at the age of 15 I started working in restaurants in various roles. Over time I have had the opportunity to specialize more and more and the experiences I had in the United States and London were also very formative for my CV.
At the age of 22 I arrived in Formentera and at Chezz Gerdi I initially worked as a chef, coordinating part of the restaurant, until, in 2015, with 14 years of experience behind me, my journey as manager began.

Many people wonder about the origin of the name “Chezz Gerdi”, what does it come from?

I should point out that the origin of Chezz Gerdi has the charm of a legend and the dates and characters are still shrouded in mystery… A long time ago, in this place where we are now, the current restaurant did not stand, but Gerdi’s house was built here; the latter decided to give a name to this house (as is tradition here on the island) and adopted the French language to translate a very simple concept: Chez Gerdi in fact means “from Gerdi” meant as going to Gerdi’s house.

But over the years, at a certain point, not only did the ownership change, but whoever inherited this house also made this place something else. Various legends tell that it was a hippie hangout, then a beach bar and more… but whatever animated this place one thing is sure: when it became a real restaurant, due to a typographical error, what should have reported the words Chez Gerdi was printed in a unclear way and the last zeta of the word “chez” acquired a shading that replicated it. It was decided to keep it and call the restaurant Chezz Gerdi.

Those who come to Formentera for the first time often wonder where Chezz Gerdi is located. Can you describe your location?

Our location enjoys a privileged natural position: we are in front of the sea and around us the wild nature of Formentera is expressed in all its beauty. However, what characterizes our restaurant is not only the emotional component aroused by the endemic beauty of the island… Chezz Gerdi is also easy to reach. Often, restaurants with highly evocative locations are located in particular contexts and this can discourage even the most loyal customer. From a practical point of view, Chezz Gerdi, located a few meters from Es Pujols, does not belong to this category.

It is possible to reach the restaurant directly by car or scooter and park in our private area or, you can decide to leave your car in the small town of Es Pujols. To reach us on foot, simply walk along the wooden walkway that is located at the beginning of the seafront and, after a few minutes’ walk, you will find that you have arrived at your destination… the hippie van will be there waiting for you for the usual photo.

Running a restaurant requires great commitment and professionalism. In addition to you as the manager, how many people are on your team?

The Chezz Gerdi staff is made up of a group of 6 people, including myself, which represents the base of a much larger system. The number of people, who operate with different tasks, varies greatly from period to period: this year, in high season, we were a team of 78 people. We can proudly define ourselves as a young and dynamic company.

A remarkable team! Obviously, the choice of such a staff is linked to the great care you have for your customers.

Attention to the customer is what drives every activity carried out in our restaurant. At Chezz Gerdi you don’t just come to eat or drink, but to live an experience. Our philosophy is based on emotional involvement with the customer. Every person who comes to Chezz Gerdi is special to us.

Our entire staff is always ready to welcome any request, satisfy different needs and make “that moment of vacation” live as one of the best that you can take home on your return.
Surely the intrinsic beauty of the island facilitates the positive atmosphere that can be enjoyed in our restaurant but, I would like to point out, that it is the human variable that differentiates us.

Speaking of cuisine, how would you describe the Chezz Gerdi menu?

Chezz Gerdi’s cuisine is fusion. We don’t like to offer a static menu that is too tied to tradition or that does not allow for variations.
The dishes are made up of raw materials from all over the world, the base is certainly Mediterranean, but, as I mentioned earlier, different elements blend together to give life to particular and unprecedented combinations. However, all this does not exclude the total exclusion of “simple” recipes.

If you had to recommend a dish, what would you propose?

I would recommend following your gut! At Chezz Gerdi, customers can come whether they want a hamburger or want to try the Galician blonde rib eye… we have pizza, sushi proposals, tartare of meat or fish, without excluding, as I said earlier, dishes with genuine flavors that do not involve particular combinations, but, simply thanks to the quality of the raw materials used, delight every palate. This is why Chezz Gerdi is a place to go every day!

I noticed that you have a refined wine list. Nothing is left to chance.

In this regard, I would like to point out that we are one of the few restaurants in Formentera that has a sommelier. This figure is responsible for researching and selecting wines from all over the world: in addition to Spanish wines, you will find proposals from South America, Italy, France and even real “gems” with labels from New Zealand and Israel.

The aperitif ritual is a must here in Formentera, how does it take place at Chezz Gerdi?

We offer an aperitif that cannot be labeled, but we choose to let our customers experience different moments within the same context: there will therefore be a time to dance to engaging rhythms but there will also be a chill-out moment to enjoy your cocktail with a more refined background music.
Precisely for this reason and for the others mentioned above (such as the choice of the menu), the clientele that frequents Chezz Gerdi is varied.

Chezz Gerdi is also an excellent location for those who decide to get married in Formentera. How is a similar day organized?

First of all, those who decide to celebrate their wedding at Chezz Gerdi must contact us well in advance! There are many people who get married and who choose us as the location for their party but, to make that day unique, we must plan every little detail in advance. The first meeting with the couple involves a general chat about how the party will take place, then, as the date of the big day approaches, we start to define all the details.

We do not have a standard scheme and each person can decide to personalize their day as they wish. We are very flexible and ready for anything. In 2018, for example, we hosted the wedding party of the well-known music entrepreneur Ferdinando Salzano and for us it was an honor to see some of the most famous singers on the Italian music scene perform at our restaurant.

It is well known that Chezz Gerdi is frequented by many celebrities from the world of entertainment and sports. How much does this affect the popularity of your establishment?

For us, of course, it is an honor to be chosen as a restaurant by celebrities from the world of entertainment and beyond. However, if you ask me how much this affects the popularity of our establishment, I couldn’t give you an answer.
I believe that most of the public frequents us because they know the data-cfasync="false" data-cfasync="false" type of service we can offer or because they have heard positive things about us from friends.

The great attention we pay to anyone who wants to frequent our beach club is absolutely not influenced by the number of followers they may have or the headlines dedicated to them. Probably there will be someone who enjoys coming to us because they know they might meet their idol or a character they admire… but for us, every customer is a VIP!

Speaking of communication, you are very active on social media.

Having constant and direct contact with the public is essential for good marketing. Instagram in particular is the channel we use the most and with which we manage to reach a considerable number of views. Every day we post photos or do live broadcasts. Communicating with the whole world allows us to have great visibility and also provide an updated service to our followers: if you are on the island you can see what is happening at Chezz Gerdi and decide to join the party.
Because it is precisely the atmosphere and the holiday attitude that sets us apart from everyone else. You will never find a “long face” among the Chezz Gerdi staff.

Speaking of media, the Volkswagen T1 van with the Formentera writing is very popular on Instagram, how did this idea come about?

This idea is the result of a lucky coincidence and dates back to 2016. At that time I was looking for something, like a phrase, a symbol or a logo, that would identify us and make us stay well impressed in the memory of those who frequented Chezz Gerdi. By pure chance, two guys from Murcia came to Formentera with the van that is still on display outside the restaurant and asked us for permission to park there for a few days. Their request was related to their work: with a very particular setting (i.e. colored wigs and extravagant clothes) they dressed the customers up as hippies and offered them a photo in front of the colorful van.

It was then that the intuition came to me: this idea would have been a winner because it involved in an extremely playful and fun way any person, from zero to 99 years old! So, that year, I asked the guys to stay for the whole season and that activity created a great deal of traffic in front of the restaurant.
The following year, when they were busy in other locations, I asked them to leave the van with us. Now, a few years after that idea, I believe that there is no person, lover of the island, who does not have a photo with our hippie-style van!

Chezz Gerdi is a very famous place internationally, have you ever thought of replicating this success in a winter location?

Yes, I have thought about it and I still think about it! But to create a winter branch I want to take some time, no matter how long, and weigh the choice carefully. If I had to face a new project, I would want to do it in the best possible way. And true quality is only achieved after a long and thorough study of multiple details.
I don’t want to unbalance myself on any contacts we are taking… but I would like to bring our van to Cortina D’Ampezzo.

Do you have any new things in store for next year?

The main novelty is the paella, always in line with our idea of a “non-static” menu. An idea that is still in its embryonic stage is to open the restaurant for breakfast… but we need to carefully weigh the choice!

In conclusion, the claim of your beach club is “Más que un restaurante”. What should a customer who chooses Chezz Gerdi expect?

The customer who chooses Chezz Gerdi can experience and enjoy the whole day, always pampered by our staff. From 11 am there is the service with beach beds with direct access to the sea; at lunchtime you can choose to eat comfortably in the shade, opting for the various proposals on the menu; as the aperitif hour approaches, the restaurant changes shape again and offers music and cocktails for all tastes. We define ourselves as a multifaceted place where those who come will live a real experience.
In addition, for those who are not staying on Formentera but are passing by by boat, we have a tender service that takes guests to the small pier in front of the restaurant. We create and spread positive energy, that’s why Chezz Gerdi is more than just a restaurant!

Here’s how to find out more about Chezz Gerdi Formentera:

Website: https://www.chezzgerdi.com/

Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/chezzgerdiformentera/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/chezzgerdi.formentera/

Phone number: +34 648 02 01 06

Image Gallery Chezz Gerdi