Lázaro Pedro Alcaide Paz, Foodies on Menorca Award for Lifetime Achievement

Lázaro Pedro Alcaide Paz (Ciudad Real, 1958) has been one of the key figures in Menorcan gastronomy for nearly half a century. As highlighted by the Foodies on Menorca Awards jury: “He began as a kitchen apprentice at the age of fourteen and moved to Menorca in 1972. After working at El Pato Loco and spending twenty years at the Club Marino in Maó, where he established himself as a leading chef, he took over the management of La Minerva restaurant in 1995. Located in a former flour mill at the harbour, La Minerva became a benchmark for local gastronomy, renowned for its Mediterranean cuisine featuring rice dishes, fish, seafood and traditional stews. The restaurant closed at the end of 2023 when Alcaide retired, without family succession, after nearly thirty years at the helm. Through discreet yet consistent leadership, he projected Menorcan gastronomy with elegance and rigour until his retirement.”

For this outstanding career —particularly his work at La Minerva— Foodies on Menorca awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award. We spoke with him for this issue of the gastronomic quarterly.

How did you receive the award? Why do you think it was given to you?
First of all, I was very surprised, but in a deeply gratifying way. I’m very happy. I believe it was awarded to me for my fifty-two years in the hospitality industry, especially for the forty-seven years linked to the port of Maó.

Can you tell us about your career?
I began at Hotel S’Algar in Menorca in 1972. Before that, in 1970, I had already worked at El Caserío in Argamasilla, Ciudad Real, where I’m from. My career ended in 2023 at La Minerva. In between, I alternated between Madrid and Menorca, working summers on the island and winters in the capital, always in hospitality. Without doubt, La Minerva was my main project.

What led you to Menorca?
Mainly family economic needs. For me, learning the trade as early as possible was essential. Thanks to great professionals who supported me, I was able to work in both Menorca and Madrid. In 1976, I settled permanently in Menorca and opened El Pato Loco restaurant.

How did La Minerva come about?
In the late 1970s, I was invited to work at the Yacht Club, starting in 1980. It was a formative experience. With the Club running and family support, the La Minerva project emerged in 1994 with the Montañés family. We opened in 1995 and continued until my retirement in 2023.

What made La Minerva special?
It became a benchmark in Menorca due to its setting, comfort and extensive gastronomic offering, as well as its professional team. We were open for twenty-eight years.

How would you describe the restaurant and its evolution?
The former flour mill was transformed into a modernist-style space that evolved gastronomically and hosted major events. Its multiple dining rooms with different styles and capacities were a major asset.

How has Menorcan gastronomy evolved?
From my beginnings to the end of my career, gastronomy has evolved greatly, both in ingredients and professional standards. Today, Menorca boasts excellent chefs.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I am deeply grateful to Foodies on Menorca for supporting Menorcan gastronomy. I will always be available to help promote and represent Menorca in any way needed.