Not retiring: Why Werner Wiedemann continues to run his Rancho in Peguera

Not retiring: Why Werner Wiedemann continues to run his Rancho in Peguera

The lights stay on the mountain — for guests, events and Bavarian classics

If you drive up the switchbacks to Peguera on a late afternoon, the salty smell of the sea mixes with the scent of roast and fried onions — right where the Rancho la Romana has been filling plates for decades. The man behind the stove is called Werner Wiedemann; known to some as "Curry‑Werner", to others as "Market‑Werner." He had actually planned to put down the cooking spoon for good. But things turned out differently.

In autumn there was a big farewell party and the mood matched; according to Rancho La Romana in Peguera: Farewell to an Island Fixture — Werner Wiedemann Hands Over, a buyer seemed found, even a deposit had been paid. Then the deal collapsed at the last minute. The Rancho is still for sale, but as long as no new owner signs, Werner stays at the stove — and he has turned the situation into a programme.

The new season here does not begin with polite restraint, but with a medley of events you wouldn't necessarily expect in Peguera: quiz afternoons about the Balearics, weekend buffets with Bavarian classics like Weißwurst, meatballs and pork roast, and as a seasonal highlight an official season opening at the end of March with singer Egon Wellenbrink. In addition there are theatre evenings, rock and even heavy‑metal concerts planned — the Rancho holds a rare Licencia de conciertos, officially allowing events with amplifiers and loudspeakers. Whoever buys the venue would inherit this permit.

What stands out here: Werner doesn't have to reinvent everything. He brings experience and a network. He used to work at markets in Santa Catalina — oysters and champagne were his thing — and later his sausages became legendary. This practical past feeds his offering today; he knows how to attract guests and how to run a kitchen that appeals to both tourists and locals.

For Peguera this is no small detail. The Rancho sits up on the mountain, one of the few businesses in this zone with a concert licence. Such places enliven the off‑season, provide work for waiters and technicians and bring audiences away from the beachfront promenades; similar debates about evening culture and jobs are discussed in Krümel's Schatzi in Peguera: Between boulevard summer and night-time quiet. The announced formats — a murder mystery dinner on May 1 with support from event planners Carsten Siemann and Anja Ehrke, family buffets, live acts — are exactly the mix small towns need: a bit of culture, a bit of noise, and lots of full plates.

For those wondering what a handover scenario might look like: Werner says he will initially remain on as an advisor. That means buyers get more than just rooms and pots; they receive a transition partner who provides briefings on procedures and maintains contact with regular customers. That is worth more to someone new to the hospitality business than any inventory list.

On site you can sense the balance between the familiar and the new. On weekends cups clink, children clown around, people at the bar discuss football, and the kitchen smells of pork roast — yet a poster for a metal concert hangs on the notice board. Anyone who believes gastronomy in Mallorca follows only seasonal logic will see here that experiments work when experience and local ties are right.

Conclusion: For those who like Peguera, the Rancho la Romana is for now a stroke of luck. A failed sale means more time to test concepts; the mix of Bavarian home cooking, cultural and music offerings and the existing concert licence makes the venue a beacon in the area. And Werner? He will probably prefer the noise of the kitchen to the silence of retirement for a while — true to a man who has left his mark at markets, grill stalls and small theatres. For Peguera it's an invitation to drive up the mountain again, share a plate and listen to what comes next.