Yatiri: Eat with harmony
By Catherine Whitham
An interview with Ailén Denise Varela Elizondo, owner of new organic food restaurant, YATIRI:
What were your first impressions of the island?
I spent my summer holidays in Ibiza every year for seven years until, in the winter of 2012, I could no longer resist the charm of this very unique and magical place, and moved here permanently. Life has never stopped showing me how many amazing people there are in the world. With Ibiza being such a special place, you can imagine how many of those astounding people are right here. It is a meeting place for me; an energetic point in the world where magical encounters take place at every moment. People from every corner of the world gather here, among them party lovers, nature lovers, people who only want to be with others, and others who only want to be with themselves. I have found that that whatever I want, I can get from here, and everything I need to achieve my dreams, emerges as if by magic. I am what I am, thanks to Ibiza; it’s as if this place, and what’s in it, have sealed my destiny.
What spiritual codes do you live your life by?I’m realising that there is a law of attraction and repulsion that is related to us being open or closed, nothing more. I believe that this is the most powerful law that exists, and those who don’t abide by it have almost no chance to know true happiness. The universe is powered by gravity, but humans are powered by self-belief. The secret of making things come to us with ease, not effort, applies to the law of trust, which says that if we do something from the heart, life will reward us.
When I receive, I feel eager to give. So now I am in debt not only to life, but also to this island. Wanting to live in harmony with the environment, taking care of Mother Earth, is part of my gratitude process. We often forget that the planet is a living being that is the mother of life, our home, and the most important thing we have. Those of us who remember this, form part of a group that is growing in the world: “The Ecological Humans“; those of us that are feeling the need to take care of the environment and give back what it gives us, to respect the gift of our bodies by eating more healthily, to be more sensitive with everything that surrounds us, to serve in the best way we can, and to give without expecting anything in return.
The realisation that the world should be a wonderful place for everyone – not just for a few – activates an individual responsibility from which we cannot escape. We should do something. And that “something” for me is opening Yatiri – offering something that I feel the visitors and residents of Ibiza can benefit from: wholesome organic food in a homely environment.
Please tell us more about Yatiri. My father, Alberto Varela, gave me the idea by creating a fantastic concept: a place where it is possible to eat healthy, delicious and varied food in a warm, cosy and creative environment; much like being in someone’s living room.
Yatiri is a family project, driven very much from the heart. I have some divine friends and a very unique family. Each and every one of them has had something to do with the fact that I moved here and started with this exciting new project. Their input and support have been invaluable to me.
It could be defined as an organic or ecological restaurant, but it is a place that goes beyond health food. It is a place where all kinds of ideas and experiences can be shared, and where the slogan is “To be open to whatever comes, always willing to learn from each other by shifting towards a new way of life based on sharing.” All this creates an atmosphere geared towards a new and soul nurturing culinary experience.
We invite our guests to be inspired to open themselves to what’s new, healthy, sensitive and loving. Our hope is that, bit by bit, our international franchise, with three restaurants already existing in Spain, will inspire many into a healthier and happier life model. •
