Wedding wow factor

With views of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and endless sky, a sophisticated and stylish all-white aesthetic lending itself perfectly to contemporary weddings, a highly-experienced team creating culinary magic in the kitchen plus two dedicated event planners on staff, Cotton Beach Club is the Ibiza wedding venue with wow factor. Now celebrating its fifth year of hosting exclusive Ibiza weddings, the gorgeous Cala Tarida seaside venue has welcomed couples from the UK, Holland, Russia and Australia (among other places) to declare their love for one another in what is without a doubt one of the most beautiful settings in Ibiza. A minimum of 80 guests are required to secure exclusivity and the venue holds a maximum of 320 for larger scale events. Initial consultations with the in-house wedding planning team can take place over the phone, Skype or via email and once you’ve officially said ‘I do’ to Cotton Beach Club as your wedding venue, the fun begins.

Let us set the scene for your wedding at Cotton Beach Club. The event begins at around 6pm, as guests arrive at the beach club for welcome drinks. This is where the initial wow factor comes into play, especially for any friends and family who have never been to the white isle. That first glimpse of the turquoise water across the beautifully decorated restaurant terrace is unforgettable. For many people, it is love at first sight. Love is indeed the order of the day, and guests are soon ushered to the upper terrace, an ultra-romantic rooftop space that feels as though you are on top of the world. Decked out in all-white, with pops of pink bougainvillea and a white carpet creating the aisle that leads to the flower-strewn arch under which the bride and groom will say their vows. Most ceremonies here are spiritual blessings, with expats required to marry in their own home countries for the union to be legally recognised, however Spanish nationals can indeed host an official ceremony. With uninterrupted views, the wow factor continues as the bride makes her entrance… let the festivities, complete with cocktails and canapés, commence!

Once the couple have been declared husband and wife (or spouses for life!), the party moves back downstairs to the stunning main restaurant terrace, for a more formal seated dining experience and speeches. The terrace is covered, providing much needed protection from the sun’s rays (and in the unfortunate case of rain) and can be configured in a variety of ways to suit the size of your event. Up to 170 guests can be seated outdoors, with an additional space for 50 inside. For larger events, the roof terrace can also be utilised as a dining space for up to 320 in total. After the bride and groom of course, the food is quite often the star of the show at a wedding and Cotton Beach Club never fails to satisfy. The head chef has created a variety of four-course catering packages – that can be tailored to suit your tastes and budget – in keeping with the restaurant’s global fusion cuisine concept. If there is something special on your mind for the meal that’s not on offer, the team will do their best to accommodate you. It’s all about making your wedding dreams come true.

Once the toasts have been given and the cake has been cut, it’s time to hit the dance floor and Cotton Beach Club is licensed to remain open until 2.45am – a rarity with beachside wedding venues in Ibiza. With three different spaces set across two floors, guests will never feel ‘stuck’ in once place and more conveniently, there’s no need to organise transport between ceremonies, receptions and after parties. Each wedding package at Cotton Beach Club is tailored to suit individual couples, with a variety of options such as an open bar, late night snacks, kids’ menus, DJs and sound systems available on request. As a specialist venue, Cotton Beach Club focuses purely on doing what they do best: creating the menus, organising guest logistics plus preparing the venue and providing staff. For everything else, they have a tried, tested and most importantly, trusted list of suppliers. Think wedding photographers, transport, florists, stylists and more. Should you prefer to let someone else do all the hard work for you, enlisting the services of a dedicated wedding planner is recommended.

Behind the scenes at Cotton Beach Club on your wedding day, it’s all about attention to detail. Each wedding has a minute-by-minute game plan outlined to all staff, with both event managers on hand on the day to ensure everything runs seamlessly. Availability for weddings at Cotton Beach Club is limited, with the venue accepting bookings in May, June, September and October only. If it’s wow factor you want, it’s wow factor you’ll get. For smaller events and celebrations – from 20 guests and up – areas of the restaurant can be cordoned off for privacy, or an exclusivity fee applies. With wedding dates already being booked for 2019, now is the time for brides and grooms to be to get in touch with Cotton Beach Club to secure their chosen dates and get the planning process started.

Where magic happens

The word magic is bandied around in Ibiza all too often these days, along with incredible, wonderful, spectacular and a whole list of superlatives too long to mention. When it comes to Cotton Beach Club – the original venue from the group who now boast an empire of businesses across the island – all these words can be put to good use. After four years in business, they are well deserved. The stylish Cala Tarida destination has evolved beyond its original beach club concept; today, the complex boasts one of the island’s most in-demand seaside restaurants, a hip sushi bar, cocktail lounge, rooftop terrace ideal for dining, drinks or special events, luxurious beachfront sunloungers and VIP cabanas (with full restaurant service) and one of the island’s best-curated fashion boutiques. A one-stop shop for exceptional Ibiza holiday experiences.

When it comes to cuisine, the Cotton Beach Club philosophy is to take diners on a tour of the world’s greatest culinary destinations. And who better to lead the charge than well-travelled head chef Federico Garcia? Born in Argentina, he spent many years traversing the globe with a deep interest in cooking inherited from his mother and grandmother. The spices of Thailand, the flavours of Vietnam, the tastes of Cuba, the fresh seafood of the Bahamas, the savoury bites of Morocco and the street foods of Mexico (among many other places) opened his eyes and his taste buds to a new style of eating and thus inspired him to try his hand at becoming a chef. A former double bass player, an injury saw Federico give up his musical career, and the next logical step was cooking. Spending 10 years in Barcelona, he made a sea change for Ibiza in 2006, where he spent his first six years working as a chef in the notorious fusion kitchen of Bambuddha, learning the skills and techniques to bring his gastronomic travelling memories to life. After a brief stint in Formentera, he returned to Ibiza to take up the position of head chef at Cotton Beach Club in 2016 and has never looked back. This year sees the always-smiling convivial chef give the menu plenty of his own unique, signature touches, taking care to ensure each dish is carefully catered to the European palate.

Stand-out dishes include the Som Tam salad, which Garcia calls his ‘fake Som Tam’, with a wry smile, knowing the intense heat of true Thai spice is not something for a hot summer day in Ibiza. The typical flavours and zest are all still there however, with succulent king crab, fresh carrot and zucchini, all swimming in a delectable mix of palm sugar, mint, daikon, basil, lime and fish sauce. His personal favourite is the octopus served with typical Spanish ‘ajo blanco’ cold soup made from pistachio and coconut milk – cooked sous vide with apple, then topped with ground black olives for a taste sensation unlike anything else you’ve ever tried. No matter how big your group, or how varied the dietary requirements, you’ll find something for everyone on the Cotton Beach Club menu. Classic Bellota (acorn-fed) ham, Padron peppers or spicy patatas bravas, for those who like typical Spanish starters, a divine raw tuna tartare for those seeking the freshness of the sea, topped with refreshing mango and wasabi ice cream for a kick, mussels steamed in saffron sauce or a classic tomato and Burrata salad that Garcia says rivals any tomato salad in the world for quality.

No beach menu would be complete without a seabass baked in salt, cut and served at your table, while jetsetters will love the charcoal cod in miso, while those with a taste for the more exotic must try Federico’s signature spicy homemade yellow or red curries. A hark to his Mexican travels comes via chicken tacos, while vegetarians are also spoilt for choice with the veggie burger and mini vegetables in Romescu sauce the star features. Meat lovers should try the 24-hour slow roasted Segovia suckling pig (another of Garcia’s favourites), given a touch of the Orient with Japanese herbs and sauces. Speaking of Japan and all of its gastronomic glory, sushi too, plays a huge part on the menu, with a dedicated sushi bar adjacent to Federico’s kitchen pass spearheaded by sushi maestro Borja García Ollero. The two ultra-professional kitchens work harmoniously to ensure all dishes arrive at your table together, no matter what menu you have ordered from. Sashimi, Nigiri – which can have Caviar added for extra luxury – and premium rolls filled with a variety of flavours ranging from Norwegian salmon and foie gras steak to prawn tempura or spicy king crab, are just the start of the two-page menu. The hardest thing about dining at Cotton Beach Club is being spoilt for choice.

In addition to its daily offerings, Cotton Beach Club also hosts special champagne luncheons on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer season in collaboration with Collet Champagne. Add to all of that great music courtesy of resident DJ Dalibor Dadoff and special guests, million dollar views over the Mediterranean and it seems Cotton Beach Club really is where magic happens.

Sushi & sunset… on a school night!

Finally! The end is nigh… the end of August – obvs. September is so close I can practically smell it… and funnily enough, here at White Ibiza HQ, our deadline pressure is actually easing off for the first time since March (shh! don’t tell the boss!) and we’re finally getting some time to take our lily white computer-tanned skins into the sunshine and enjoy spending time in some of the amazing places we’ve been writing about all summer!

You see, even though it looks like we spend our days lolling about on sun beds, eating the very finest food and basically lapping up the luxury of Ibiza, it’s more of a case of dash in, grab 20 minutes with the owner/chef/manager before they are dragged off to their next clients and survey the venue, snap the food and then dash off to the next venue to do it all again. On the plus side, we do get to experience more cool locations in a day than most people do in their entire holidays, but on the downside, it always leaves you wanting more… like the chance to loll around on a sunbed, the chance to savour the delicious food and yep, lap up the luxury of Ibiza!

So when we realised at 4pm yesterday, that all newsletters had been sent, emails had been answered, magazines were published, interviews transcribed, articles written, photos edited, shop orders sent and even the office was cleaned and tidied… well, we had no other choice than to pack up for the day and get out there and ENJOY this beautiful island we call home. Catching the sunset was our main priority, and there was only one place we wanted to view it from – the all-new Rooftop Sushi Bar at Cotton Beach Club on Cala Tarida.

Of course, it wasn’t easy letting go, leaving all our work (ahem) troubles behind, trying to relax under these trying circumstances and difficult conditions, honestly. There was a constant battle between my inner ‘work voice’ and my own voice. It was quite exhausting actually. I think I might need a sun lounger to go and lie down on after all that. Someone please pass the champagne. And the sushi.

Work thought: I instinctively started to compose the first sentence of my next article about Cotton Beach… ‘As we ascended the stairway (to heaven, I thought with a grin) to the Rooftop Sushi Bar…’
Miss W thought: SHUT UP BRAIN! You’re here for fun, not to make silly dad jokes. Oooh, but what a stunning view to arrive to – you practically feel like you’re in the sky… maybe it is like a stairway to heaven after all.

Work thought: Lucky I brought my iPad and iPhone with me. Definitely need to Instagram this. Must make notes for future reference. The stunning beauty of this location is inspiring me.
Miss W thought: Ohhhh… maybe I’ll pretend there’s no internet service here and make all my Instagram posts tomorrow. I just wanna relax…

Work thought: Sunlounger testing is a tough job: Check it for quality – yup, sturdy, yup, comfortable, yup, huge. Impressive view, check. Proximity to bar – perfect.
Miss W thought: Winning! Pull those pretty white curtains to the side and no one will see me slacking off and snoozing here in the sun. Oh wait – it’s my afternoon off… I can sleep in public!

Work thought: I wonder if any of the stylish chicas sipping cocktails and champagne will ask me where my Dancing Leopard jumpsuit is from (White Ibiza boutique of course). Did I bring business cards? Do I look like a good representation of our brand?
Miss W thought: Dammit, I wish I’d brought a bikini! The sunshine on this rooftop is seriously GLORIOUS! And everyone else is wearing one, I kind of feel left out… Do White Ibiza deliver store purchases direct to day beds?

Work thought: Must remember to compliment the Cotton Beach Club owners on the quality of service offered by their staff. Smiley, happy people, and nothing at all was too much trouble.
Miss W thought: Oooh, aren’t the waiters cute?

Work thought: Must take photos of the menu for future reference and ask the sushi chef where he sources his ingredients, what the inspiration behind the dishes was and remember to check what the signature dish is (For the record, all sourced fresh here in Ibiza, the secret to the perfect form and light, fresh tasting deliciousness of each roll is preparing the rice fresh daily, which means starting three hours before service commences – that’s dedication to the sushi cause – and the signature roll is (obviously) the Cotton Roll, torched Norwegian salmon, cucumber, avocado, tanuki (the crispy bites inside that are similar to tempura) with wasabi mayo and unagi sauce.

Miss W thought: YUM! I’ll have a Hot Tuna roll, a Cotton Roll and some sashimi. Mmm, and maybe a cocktail. Or Sangria de Cava… or both! Must remember to return and try the Cala Tarida roll next time… And thanks to the chef for creating a vegetarian version of the Cotton Roll for my friend. Will be telling absolutely everyone I’ve ever met that this was by far and away one of the best sushi experiences I’ve ever had in Ibiza!

Work thought: Who do you think the people up here on the rooftop are? Should I mingle? Networtk? Can I make some interesting contacts here?
Miss W thought: Let everyone relax and enjoy their holiday… no one wants to talk about work at a gorgeous rooftop bar anyway!

Work thought: Remember to check the names of the resident DJs (Dalibor Dadoff, FYI), find out if there are any special guests (live bands and singers throughout the week on the terrace) and shazam a few songs here or there so I can write about them later.
Miss W thought: Is it OK to spontaneously dance on my sun lounger? This music is wicked! When I complimented the DJ on the music, I was rewarded with an awesome Cotton Beach Club USB stick chock-full of Balearic beats and grooves in the style of the restaurant, so THANK YOU. That’s my new playlist listening sorted!

Work thought: Ah, good to see the original Ibiza Angels are in place here at Cotton Beach Club. I wonder if I could pretend I’m working and score a massage as part of a future write up? Would that be unprofessional?
Miss W thought: Oh pretty! A flock of angels ascending that stairway to heaven. Why yes I’d love a head, neck and shoulder massage please. Hope you don’t mind of I drift off…

Work thought: It’s late August, the sun sets at approximately 8.32pm… ooh, is that another cocktail? Yes please!
Miss W thought: I might cry. It’s just so stunning I might honestly cry. Or clap – is it cool to clap? Quick, quick, let’s get a selfie with the sunset!

Fusion with flair

Ibiza foodies, listen up! There’s a hot new must-visit restaurant on Ibiza’s gastronomic map, a stunning beach restaurant where the food is equally as exquisite as the view – and when you see the jaw-dropping view over Cala Tarida, you’ll know that’s really saying something about the quality at Cotton Beach Club.

Having travelled the world many times over, founders (and self-confessed health freaks!) Christian and Merete Marstrander knew exactly the menu concept they wanted when opening their own beach club in May 2014. More than just a modern fusion menu, they wanted to take the very best elements and dishes from their favourite international destinations and give them a uniquely Ibiza twist, to appeal to both local and international diners.

Upon meeting head chef Marcelo Eufrosino Rodrigues – who hails from Brazil originally but has worked all around the globe – their vision became a reality: a beach club menu that offers something to tempt all tastebuds. Above all, the focus is on creating each dish with the highest quality produce and ingredients – Marcello sources the very best local and seasonal fruits and vegetables where possible.

The menu takes diners on a trip around the world via deluxe salads, ultra-fresh seafood, rich meats and classic burgers, traditional rice dishes and pasta, plus a special nod to the restaurant’s Spanish heritage with a small selection of tapas dishes to share.

For those seeking a truly authentic Spanish experience, Paella Valenciana will sate your appetite or you can snack on pimientos de padron dusted in parmesan cheese, indulge in patatas bravas or share a plate of Iberico ham and local cheeses while you peruse the rest of the menu…

Fancy a visit to Italy? The creamy, lush burrata fuses the famous cheese flown in especially to Cotton beach Club with a range of local tomatoes, while the risotto of mushroom, parmesan and white truffle will blow your mind… and your tastebuds! Detour via France for some saffron mussels, pop over to Brazil for chef Marcello’s mama’s very own grilled squid recipe, or the classic method of grilling steak with pineapple and enjoy a taste of the Orient with stir fries, coconut-infused curried tiger prawns with mago and papaya, melt-in-your-mouth salmon sashimi and more.

Fusing the owners’ Norwegian heritage with a little Peruvian and Nikkei style cuisine is the amazing salmon ceviche, with the chef’s signature passionfruit salsa or the custom-created filet of cod stuffed with tiger praws and drenched in a homemade orange sauce.

“We spent two and a half months trying, testing and tasting every dish on the menu until it was perfect,” says Christian. It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it. And trust us… you’ll want to save some room for dessert!