november-2011

THE BUZZ | TASTE BUDS
lasers from NASA? Well, no, actually.
It’s a surprisingly small space, occupied
by four or fi ve ordinary-looking
work surfaces and densely populated
by men and women in plain white
shirts and black aprons (the same
apparel favoured by Adrià, incidentally),
most of whom are armed with nothing
more mysterious than pots, pans and
wooden spoons.
Though Adrià is credited with
kicking off molecular cooking (he calls
it “avant garde cuisine”), using scientifi c
theory to complement traditional
kitchen techniques, to him it’s a
meaningless tag. “It makes no sense,”
he says. “If using modern technology
makes me a molecular chef, then you
are a molecular journalist.” He points
at my digital recorder to illustrate his
point. “The technology we are using is
not that advanced. The microwave oven,
which dates back to the 1980s, is more
advanced than most of the equipment
we have.”
Hailing from L’Hospitalet de
Llobregat, a rough, working-class district on the
outskirts of Barcelona, it’s fair to say that Adrià’s
culinary background is somewhat at odds with his
achievements. After leaving school in 1980, he got
a job as a dishwasher at a hotel. A year later, he was
drafted into military service, where he worked as a
cook. Following that, he found work at el Bulli by
chance (then a one-star Michelin restaurant). But the
then head chef clearly liked what he saw. In 1984, after
just 18 months in the kitchen and aged 22, Adrià was
promoted to head chef.
Back then, the food at el Bulli was far more
conventional. It was only in the mid-1990s that Adrià
DO IT YOURSELF
MACKEREL AND
POTATO STEW
This dish, from Adrià’s
forthcoming book, is a susquet
(fi sh stew) with a tomato,
paprika and parsley sauce. Ask
your fi shmonger to clean and
gut the fi sh for you if you prefer.
You can add picada (a garlic,
saff ron and parsley seasoning)
and use plain mayonnaise
instead of aioli if you like.
50 | TRAVELLER
INGREDIENTS
Mackerel
350g each
New potatoes
Tomatoes
coarsely grated
Olive oil
Garlic cloves
Fresh parsley
fi nely chopped
Sweet paprika
Fish stock
Cornfl our
Aioli
“From that moment, it
was about giving diners a
gastronomical experience”
FOR 2 FOR 6
1 3
250g
1½ tbsp
1½ tbsp
2
1½ tbsp
1 tsp
400ml
1 tsp
½ tsp
began to develop the style that he’s now known for.
“There was one specifi c year, 1994, when we started
our very personal concept of cuisine,” he says. “From
that moment, we changed our attitude and it was
about giving the diners a gastronomical experience.”
Since then the restaurant has never looked back,
but the reason I’m here today is to experience a more
down-to-earth fare that was served daily at el Bulli.
Namely, the “family meal”, a long-standing and fairly
widespread restaurant tradition: before service each
evening, waiting staff and chefs come together to eat.
Not only is it a way for staff to bond, but it ensures
the team is well fuelled before a long shift. Every
750g
4 tbsp
3 tbsp
5
4 tbsp
3 tsp
1.2L
2 tsp
1 tsp
Cut the head and tail off the
mackerel. Cut along the belly of
the fi sh and remove the insides
using your hands or a spoon.
el Bulli staff enjoying
the three-course
family meal before
their shift begins
Rinse under cold water to
remove any blood, then cut the
body into three equal pieces.