From Farmer to Chef

Philipp Gandler grew up in a village in Austria surrounded by neighbors who were all farmers. Although his father was a glass artist and his mother a nurse, Philipp always knew he wanted to pursue an agricultural path.

His passion took him to the EcoFarm School in Austria where he was the only student with no farming background. After completing his education, he got curious about what happens after food is produced. “We learned how to grow this amazing produce, but then what?” he explains. “I wanted to learn how to make the ingredients shine.”

Philipp landed a job at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Munich where he learned to cook. It wasn’t long before he opened his own restaurant in Austria, which drew inspiration from the Slow Food movement serving up classical Austrian dishes.

After 3 years of running his own restaurant, Philipp felt ready for a new endeavor. “I wanted to step outside of the box of traditional Austrian cooking,” he explains. “A client offered me the opportunity to cook for a yoga retreat in Ibiza and I jumped on the opportunity.”

Philipp got in a rhythm of spending summers where he grew fresh produce in a small garden and cooked for retreats. In the winter, he would work at a two-Michelin star restaurant in Austria.

Then he met Christian Jochnick who had a vision to establish Juntos Farm, a regenerative farming project in Ibiza. Philipp helped launch the farm’s operations and quickly built a reputation for his work. A few years later, investors invited him to take on a new challenge: Terra Masia.

Leading Regeneration at Terra Masia

From the moment Philipp took over Terra Masia, he was clear that the farm needed to embrace regenerative practices and become completely chemical-free. One of his first major projects was planting an artichoke plantation of around 500 to 600 plants, a significant investment intended to demonstrate his vision for the farm. Then, disaster struck.

A pest infestation devastated the entire plantation overnight. “This was my first project as farm manager. We had invested big and it appeared like my regenerative ideas were failing. My colleagues urged me to spray because that’s what we’re all taught in farming school, but I stood firm in our commitment to be chemical-free. I’m so glad I did.”

One week later, nature swooped in with a solution beyond his wildest imagination. A massive swarm of migratory birds arrived from Africa, completely clearing the farm of pests in a matter of hours. “I couldn't believe it,” Philipp shares, “If we had sprayed, the birds wouldn’t have found anything to eat. Nature helped us to solve the problem in half a day, for free. It was a big lesson that when we intervene and try to protect the plants from every threat, we don’t give nature the opportunity to act.”

This experience taught Philipp the importance of understanding a farm’s life cycle. He recognized that the plants had been introduced at the wrong time of year and that the solution wasn’t quick chemical intervention, but to learn the natural rhythms of Ibiza’s soil, landscape, and fauna so that he could work with nature. “Things will have to die so that other things can live.” Philipp shares. “The faster you learn that as a farmer, the faster you can regenerate.”

Creating a Regenerative Paradise

Under Philipp’s leadership, Terra Masia’s 46 hectares have transformed into Ibiza’s largest organic farm growing over 100 varieties of herbs and vegetables using biodynamic methods.

Since Terra Masia sits in a valley, it experiences extreme heat in the summer, so much so that little can grow. They also experience soil erosion from the wind. Philipp decided to plant 3,600 Paulownia trees, which are sometimes called the “climate tree” to improve the farm’s health.

The trees’ large leaves provide crucial shade to crops, and when the leaves fall, they create significant organic matter that enriches and protects the soil. These trees store 30 times more carbon dioxide than oak trees. Since planting in the spring, these trees have already grown three meters. “It’s almost magical,” Philipp says.

Bridging Farming and Culinary Innovation

Today, Philipp continues to blend his skills as both chef and farmer. Terra Masia’s business model centers on supplying local restaurants with farm-to-table produce that reflects the farm’s regenerative philosophy. These restaurants seek organic, locally grown ingredients rather than sourcing from mainland Spain.

Philipp shares, “With regenerative agriculture, you have so many more options than conventional farming. You have the freedom to think outside the box, and your business becomes more diverse.”

He applies this mindset to his collaborations with chefs, maintaining an open dialogue that fosters creativity on both sides. “The more you talk with chefs,” he explains, “the more creative you can be. Chefs tell you what they really want, and you can introduce them to new, out-of-the-box ideas—like fresh young sunflowers or watermelon sprouts. Amazing things happen when you communicate with your customers.”

Now, Terra Masia is celebrated as one of Ibiza’s true paradises. Wildlife has returned, a direct result of the farm’s regenerative practices. “There are animals here you won’t find anywhere else on the island,” Philipp shares proudly. Such abundance is no accident. It’s the result of commitment, listening to land, and operating through regenerative stewardship.