THE REAL ONES : MASSIMO LUCARINI

THE REAL ONES
By Laura Martínez

Massimo Lucarini: From Tuscany to the Moon

Massimo, who owns the emblematic Italian restaurant Las Dos Lunas, located at the 5 KM mark on the Ibiza to San Antonio motorway, was born in Rome, although he considers himself a Tuscan. Lucarini has seen it all since first falling in love with the island in 1974: the hippie era, the birth of the legendary discotheque KU, celebrities dancing with ordinary folk on the dance floor, and of course his restaurant, today run by his daughters, whose impressive list of clients runs from the former King of Spain to Julio Iglesias.

Photo: Massimo Luccarini portrait.

You still have that seductive Italian aura, although I know your playboy years ended when you met your wife, Almudena... Tell me how you met.

“Ah, that was at Las Dos Lunas! I saw her, went up to her in the blink of an eye and asked her, What do I have to do to marry you? She was initially reluctant (laughs); she thought I was crazy, a womaniser. I was coming from a divorce, and she had her boyfriend with her that night... but I didn’t give up. It took me a while to win her over; there were ups and downs, but as fate had it, she didn’t take a plane to New York and stayed in Ibiza. We have been together since then... 41 years, since 1982.”

Photo: "Las Dos Lunas" Restaurant.

Incredible, that’s what I call knowing what you want. How did your life’s other grand love affair happen, the one with Ibiza?

“Well, I used to go to the artist Mario Arlati’s restaurant in Panarea, an island in Sicily. He told me about the island, and I came with six friends that summer. It was madness; some of us bought several houses in Roca Llisa and then returned to Italy. We were luxury hippies at the time; in the mid-70s, I worked in the fashion industry, and when the sales period was over, I went back to decorate the house I had bought, which had nothing but a mattress lying on the floor. It was winter, and I fell asleep by the fireplace. At dawn, I woke up to an impressive reddish sun, and I called my partners from the Montesol Hotel to tell them I wasn’t coming back. And here I am (laughs).”

Said and done! Did the same thing happen to you with Las Dos Lunas?

“My restaurant was a stroke of fate. I have 2 sons and 3 daughters who have grown up in Ibiza, and I have always wanted to make family life as easy and pleasant as possible. We live above Las Dos Lunas because the restaurant is an extension of us, a family business. Previously, it was an antiques shop also called Las Dos Lunas (the two moons); I wanted to keep the name the same because it was a personal coincidence, and later, I named my youngest daughter Luna. Me and the moon...”

Photo: "Las Dos Lunas" Restaurant.

Your restaurant is one of the most emblematic on the island; I’m sure its walls have witnessed countless anecdotes

. “So many! My brother-in-law, the late Carlos Ereñu, was my partner in the early days and took care of the restaurant’s public relations. He filled the restaurant with members of royalty, such as King Juan Carlos I, a regular client, along with supermodels and rock stars. I remember one night when Julio Iglesias’ people repeatedly rang the restaurant to reserve a table. However, I had previously met Julio in Madrid, and I didn’t care for his attitude, so I told them the restaurant was full and that it was impossible to get a table that night. It wasn’t a lie... but I could have made room for him, but I didn’t feel like it (laughs). He came back on another occasion, and this time, he had dinner. He said: “This is the only restaurant in Ibiza where I didn’t get a table”, and I said: “Well, as long as you’re here, enjoy the night.”

Photo: Massimo Luccari at "Las Dos Lunas" Restaurant.

One could say that you achieve everything you set your mind to; has anything got away from you?

“I’ve always had a lot of determination, and I don’t like to step on anyone’s toes. You can achieve a lot that way. One thing comes to mind: I wanted to set up a business in a house in Miami, but a great friend of mine, Gianni Versace, bought it. The designer won a house by bidding twice as much as I did, but he lost a friendship. In life, you have to choose wisely. I chose to live in this paradise, have a family and set up a business that makes people happy. I think these have been excellent choices.”