Well-known chef to the stars, Sid Shanti, combines his love of Ibiza and music with his passion for food in his new book "Glorious Ibiza Food (& Music!)" due to be launched on 30th May at Agroturismo, Atzaro, Ibiza.
Born in London in 1971, Sid's career began with a three year apprenticeship at London's Groucho Club, then after a trip to Goa, India, in 1990, he changed career paths to become a full-time and much sought-after DJ and record producer.
His extensive travels over the next eight years, where he played in almost every major city in the world, eventually led him to Ibiza, invited by Manumission to play their party at Privilege.
After cooking food for Mike and Claire Manumission at the now infamous Manumission Motel, he was invited to set up the roof terrace "Shanti Town" and this became a huge success, often feeding up to 1000 hungry clubbers with a barbecue made from nothing more than an old bath and wire mattress! Sid's reputation soon flourished and he began to cater for private parties in villas and boats, and for fashion shoots, music videos and corporate promotional events.
From 2004 - 2007, Sid owned his own restaurant in Ibiza, El Faraon, which received much local and international acclaim, but since then, he has focused on providing exquisite private catering to the stars, and for the last two years has been the private chef for DJ Pete Tong, his wife and family. Clients, many of whom pay tribute to him with their handwritten testimonials in his book, include Jamie Oliver, Sister Sledge, Thandie Newton & Oliver Parker, Puff Daddy, Sir Tom Hunter, Howard Marks, and Bruce Parry to name just a few.
Glorious Ibiza Food (& Music!) is a beautifully illustrated 290-page hard back book which includes Sid's unique, easy-to-follow recipes, all inspired by his experiences both as an international touring DJ and his fifteen years spent living on Ibiza. In addition to the recipes, all with their own wine recommendations, there is an insider's guide to the suppliers that can provide the ingredients to create his dishes. Also included is foraging, culinary customs, endemic species and organic farms of Ibiza. Added to all of this, exclusive track-lists for lunch and dinner from some of the worlds most renowned DJ’s, make this book a truly unique Ibiza reference
"I am often asked where I find my produce by many clients and friends," Sid explains, "I thought it was a great time to write about all aspects of Ibiza food to help people enjoy the many other values that the island offers."
The concept for “Glorious Ibiza Food (& Music!)” came in a moment of inspiration whilst cooking last summer on the island, and Sid admits that initially the prospect of writing a book was daunting as there were so many things he wanted to share. Nevertheless, since last September, he has worked non-stop with his photographer, Jordi Riera Cardona and the rest of the team involved, and seven months later, he finds himself in the admirable position of having conceived, written, produced and published his very first book.
"I love Ibiza," Sid tells us, "It’s very much my home, and I am extremely happy to be in a position, through my experiences, connections and time spent living here, to write about the beautiful traditions, products, wild ingredients and culture of the island. Music and food go together like the moon and the stars, and so it seemed natural to marry the two passions of my life together in the book."
Glorious Ibiza Food (& Music!) is available in English and Spanish, and will be distributed widely across the island. It will also be available online from www.sidshanti.com from June.
Official launch date is 30th May 2013 at Agroturismo Atzaro, Ibiza, and Sid assures us that the launch and signing will be accompanied by a unique experience, bringing together many facets from his forthcoming book.
