When we met John McFetridge, of MallorCa’n Relish (love the play on word here), there was an instant connection. John comes across as a very friendly, easy going guy but you can tell his mind is constantly thinking about new ideas and interesting ways to collaborate, whilst still continuing a conversation with you.
Before our meeting, we perused his website to get more of an insight into the man we would be meeting and we were surprised to learn that he had worked in Verbier, Switzerland, at The Farinet Hotel. Talking about life in Switzerland is ‘home from home’ for us as this is where we first met (in the T Bar, which just happens to be next door to The Farinet). When we met John we brought up his stint in Verbier, so he filled us in on the details. He was in Verbier before our time there, when The Farinet was a three star Hotel, and he was working as the grill chef. Initially he planned to stay in Switzerland for four months but that four months turned into four years. The same could be said for us too, having been enticed to Verbier for a season, we both ended up spending more than ten years there.
Being a chef has been John’s trade for many years; however he has also delved into many other things; bed & breakfast owner; chalet caterer; trainer; ski instructor; ski company rep; and banqueting manager; and all with an infectious enthusiasm that clearly rubs off anyone else he meets or works with.
So what exactly is MallorC’an Relish? In basic terms, it is a digital magazine that covers anything and everything related to Mallorca. It was inspired by John’s first website, Mountain Relish, which was designed to bring private chefs together in The Three Valleys, and give them a platform to promote themselves.
MallorCa’n Relish is not just an inspirational guide to the island. It also has a print store and advertises various experiences that you can book online. So, if a beer brewing session appeals or you fancy taking a tour on a scooter or a quad, look no further. John is currently meeting up with different suppliers on the island to increase this experience section, which is how and why we came into the picture.
John invited us to include a couple of our wine tasting experiences on his website, as well as offering readers the opportunity to order the ‘Mallorcan wine of the week’ (now listed on the home page). We are also looking at the best way to promote a combined catering and wine experience, so keep an eye out for more news on this in the future!
During our conversation together we obviously touched on the subject of wine as he is toying with the idea of importing some French wines to Mallorca… who knows… this could be another possible future collaboration!
John generally divides his time between Mallorca, The Three Valleys and the Languedoc region of France. This brought us to another coincidence. Languedoc was one area we strongly considered moving to, before deciding on Mallorca. The wine region is fascinating here, the climate is great, and it would’ve given us the opportunity to hop between beach and mountain life, with the Pyrenees being so near. But, the one thing that stalled our decision was the fact that year round business is tough in France and the summer season tends to be very short. However, these factors haven’t deterred John from ‘planting’ a few roots in this region, and buying a property there so that he always has a base to go back to. He is also planning to coordinate with some of the wineries in the region to offer wine tasting experiences in his home. I’m pretty sure catering will be involved in some form or another as well.
The last year and a half has brought about unprecedented challenges for so many people, and businesses have been left scrambling to survive or look for new ways to work. However, a key positive element that has come out of the current situation is the way so many businesses are ready and willing to support each other, collaborate with each other and ‘build bridges’ for the future. This brings an exciting element to the future of business in general and proves how important it is to be willing to adapt, change and think outside the box. We can certainly see the benefits of collaboration and John McFetridge can too.
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