NAVARRA GOURMET

I've got a question for Ferrán Adrià

Ferran Adrià “El Bulli”, in Roses

“Spanish cuisine is threatened by a split between the traditional and avant-garde styles”

Ferrán Adrià, the renowned chef from the El Bulli restaurant, closed the 3rd International Navarre Gourmet - Enjoy Vegetables Congress with a speech in which he warned of the danger of Spanish cuisine being split between the traditional and avant-garde styles and affirmed that, it this should happen, Spain would no longer be amongst the culinary elite. "Our challenge is to ensure that no splits occur in our cuisine", he declared.

Ferrán affirmed that, despite the mistakes made in modern cuisine, "we need to lend our support to the boom experienced in Spain as it is something which is a real benefit to all of us, otherwise, in ten years' time this is all going to end". According to Ferrán, this is largely due to the "excessive self-criticism" shown by our cuisine.

The much awarded chef declared that he was "proud" of the young Spanish chefs and emphasised the importance of supporting those taking risks, because "creative cuisine is not at all easy”.

Ferrán Adrià, winner of the 2007 Kingdom of Navarre-Enjoy Vegetables Award, replied to the questions and doubts raised by the public present in the Baluarte conference room, in the same style as the popular Spanish TV program "I've got a question for you". Although he received more than 100 questions, Ferrán limited himself to replying to just ten questions.

With regard to the line to be followed by El Bulli over the next few years, he affirmed that "culinary revolutions have ended" given the fact that "creativity has gone its way". Despite this, he affirmed that he's not thinking about retiring because "for the time being, my team and I are still enthusiastic about cooking" He also indicated that we have reached a point at which we need to "stop and think, in order to consider which models to explore", although he predicted that the times to come "will be very hard".

Ferrán Adrià was recently named "chef of the year" after receiving the Augie award which is presented each year in New York by the Culinary Institute of America. According to Adrià himself, the award is the confirmation that Spanish cuisine is now accepted in the United States and is one of the best in the world. Furthermore, for the fourth time in succession, last April in London, his restaurant, "El Bulli" was selected to be the best restaurant in the world, a distinction awarded by "Restaurant", the renowned culinary magazine.

Before answering the public's queries and questions, Adriá declared his support for the wine sector: "Haute cuisine must stand up for all of us here in Spain, our world, our cuisine. We chefs must support those honest people who are doing their job well. We need to support Rosé wine, and ensure that it continues to be an emblem of Navarre.

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