Born in New York City, Russian/Polish by heritage and self-declared &lsquo;Italian by osmosis&rsquo;, restaurateur Donna Lennard has brought a slice of American/Italian verve to sleepy Santa Gertrudis. She talks to Maya Boyd about her raw and roundabout journey from the city that never sleeps to the island that doesn&rsquo;t either.

The original Il Buco is one of New York&rsquo;s most beloved restaurants. What&rsquo;s the backstory?
<a href="https://ilbuco.com/">Il Buco</a> was actually born out of a personal tragedy.&nbsp; I was a film producer, living and working with my partner of eight years from NYU's graduate film school.&nbsp;He suffered an aneurysm days before our wedding and passed away.&nbsp;A year later I was working in a restaurant while trying to raise enough money to make my late fianc&eacute;&rsquo;s film. I met an eccentric Italian &ndash; Alberto who was intrigued with Americana antiques. We began collecting pieces with the idea of exporting Americana to Spain and Italy.&nbsp; I happened upon the space on Bond Street while looking for somewhere to begin our business.&nbsp; At that time, it was a ceramic studio and showroom of some wonderful artists making exotic chandeliers.&nbsp; They were in dispute with the landlord and decided to move back to Philadelphia where they owned a building.&nbsp; My partner, Alberto, serendipitously knew them through some of their clients, and they helped us secure the lease with their landlords.&nbsp; At $2000/month for over 2000 square feet, it was a bargain &ndash; and so began a wonderful adventure. We opened an antique store, and at lunch time we would prepare our own pranzo (Italian lunch) in the back kitchen. Clients would snack with us, so eventually, we applied for a wine and beer license and Alberto began preparing wonderful bites in the kitchen.&nbsp;One could have a wonderful meal and walk out with a piece of furniture!&nbsp; It slowly became a real New York foodie destination and attracted a wonderful, creative clientele, growing organically over the course of the next years.&nbsp; Eventually, Alberto moved back to Italy and began sending the wonderful Italian products that became part of our culture.&nbsp;I took over the restaurant and we each built our own families but remained close friends. &nbsp;

Bottega Il Buco Ibiza. Photographed by Luana Failla

What is your life and food ethos?&nbsp;&nbsp;
I'm a Taurus, earth mother, lover of nature and beautiful things.&nbsp; I love life, love to travel and connect with people and love to surround myself with beauty and culture. We saw il Buco as a sort of trading post for ideas, crafts and culture, and we enjoyed the community it facilitated.&nbsp; Everything we did was about selecting objects we wanted to surround ourselves with and eventually selecting the best ingredients, prepared simply with the respect for those prime materials and creating our menu along those lines.&nbsp; We work with local farmers as well as wonderful Italian artisans to source the best olive oil, salts, vinegars and other ingredients overseas.&nbsp; Eventually we created il Buco Vita, a line of tabletop homewares sourced in Italy with my dear friends, Antonello &amp; Lorenzo Radi, with the same ethos: beautiful handmade artisan products that honour the crafts passed down over generations.&nbsp;Il Buco Vita brings the patinas and ambience of the old world to NYC, to my restaurants and to my clients' homes.

The original il Buco in New York

Donna Lennard

Why Ibiza? What is the personal connection?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Alberto travelled to Ibiza to visit a dear friend more than six years ago.&nbsp;Being the free spirit he is, he called me as soon as he returned to tell me he'd found <a href="https://ilbuco.com/pages/bottega">il Buco Ibiza</a>! &nbsp;He had planned to do it himself with my Vita partners, Antonello &amp; Lorenzo, but they eventually asked me to take it on.&nbsp; Alberto and I built it together, 20+ years after building il Buco NYC!&nbsp; With my young nephew, Danny Rubin, in tow, we opened more than 5 years ago.

NYC and Ibiza couldn&rsquo;t be more different, energy-wise. Does that contrast work for you?
Yes, completely different energy, and very much a welcome change at that.&nbsp;I have always loved Spain - the energy, the people, the climate.&nbsp; It seemed a perfect antidote to the hectic NYC life.&nbsp; Although it has been challenging to run a restaurant so far away, especially during the past years with Covid, I love my time in Ibiza.&nbsp; When I arrive, the stress of NYC washes away and even if I'm working, I make sure to enjoy all that Ibiza has to offer.&nbsp; I have never been attracted to the party scene of the island, and Santa Gertrudis offers the perfect respite from all of that, with a lovely community of families and people who enjoy good food and a more relaxed lifestyle.

You&rsquo;re a real foodie&rsquo;s foodie &ndash; where do you think Ibiza&rsquo;s dining scene is headed?
I am really quite excited about the food scene in Ibiza.&nbsp; Although I haven't had as much time on the island in the past couple of years, there are wonderful new restaurants popping up all the time.&nbsp; I see people committed to working with the island&rsquo;s resources, working with the small farms scattered around the island and trying to keep things fresh and local.

What are your top five island hangouts? Where do you go to recharge?
I can often be found in the north of the island at<a href="https://www.ibiza5sentidos.es/visita-ibiza/cala-xuclar/"> Cala Xuclar</a>, a beautiful little cove with some of the best food on the island served in the most unpretentious way. I usually stop on my way from the airport for a bite at <a href="https://elchiringuitoibiza.com/?fbclid=IwAR1P5zYDzSjl-rMx31JxsM2q3NvaIxdZCV0V1D-OaZUAgHjP5_i_2-UNf94">El Chiringuito de Es Cavallet</a> or at <a href="https://sacaleta.es/">Sa Caleta</a> for more traditional fare in sandy cove.&nbsp;I adore <a href="https://www.ibzfoodstudio.com/">El</a><a href="https://www.ibzfoodstudio.com/"> T</a><a href="https://www.ibzfoodstudio.com/">aller de Tapas&nbsp;from Ibiza Food Studio</a>, which is near Dalt Vila and run by Boris Buono from Denmark. He prepares delicious, inventive food in a dark speakeasy in the beautifully haunting gypsy barrio of the old town. For swimming I love <a href="https://www.ibiza5sentidos.es/visita-ibiza/cala-olivera/">Cala Olivera</a> on the eastern side of the island near <a href="https://ibizarocallisa.com/en/welcome/">Roca Llisa</a> and - up north - <a href="https://aguasblancasibiza.com/">Aguas Blancas</a>. I particularly like the tiny village of Santa Agnes with its picturesque church, two wonderful local restaurants, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cancosmisantaeulalia/">Can Cosmi</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sa-Palmera-1580073988910948/">Sa Palmera</a> (best roasted bacalao served in the winter months!) and the best leather sandal craftsman on the island!&nbsp; I always try to catch the beautiful blossoming almond trees in early spring.

Big city lights: the transatlantic life of il Buco’s Donna Lennard.

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