David Méndez
Head chef at Es Balcó de Son Vida, reinterpreting Mallorcan tradition with a fish and vegetable-forward touch.
- Restaurants
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David Méndez built his reputation over six years at La Fortaleza, the restaurant at Cap Rocat, under chef Víctor García, picking up two Oleotapa tapas competition wins and a Pescado Popular cooking title along the way, before taking over the kitchen at Es Balcó de Son Vida, the reimagined signature restaurant at Castillo Hotel Son Vida in Palma.
Restaurants
Elsewhere
1Accolades
- ·Winner, Oleotapa tapas competition, 8th edition, 2022 (La Fortaleza, Cap Rocat)
- ·Winner, II Concurso de Elaboración con Pescado Popular, 2024 (La Fortaleza, Cap Rocat)
- ·Winner, Oleotapa tapas competition, 10th edition, 2025 (Castillo Hotel Son Vida)
Frequently asked
Who is David Méndez?
David Méndez is a Madrid-born chef who has lived in Mallorca for 25 years. He is the head chef of Es Balcó de Son Vida at Castillo Hotel Son Vida in Palma, where he cooks contemporary Mediterranean cuisine rooted in Mallorcan tradition.
What did David Méndez do before Es Balcó de Son Vida?
Early in his career he worked at DINS by Santi Taura in its original Lloseta location, with Santi Taura backing him before he began formal culinary studies. He then spent six years as segundo de cocina at La Fortaleza, the restaurant at Cap Rocat hotel in Llucmajor, under chef Víctor García, before moving to Castillo Hotel Son Vida in late 2024.
What awards has David Méndez won?
He has won the Oleotapa tapas competition twice, in 2022 and again in 2025, and won the II Concurso de Elaboración con Pescado Popular in 2024.