Thursday, February 19, 2009

There is a method to his madness


Chef of the day:
What does it take to be the most innovative chef of your time? I bet sleeping in a cot on your restaurant kitchen's floor was the last answer you would give to that question.  Chef Ferran Adria has been captivating guests for years holding the lead in "molecular gastronomy" cooking. His famed restaurant El Bulli is open only six months out of the year. The other six months of the year, he spends perfecting his recipes.  He is quoted saying "the ideal customer doesn't come to El Bulli to eat but to have an experience." With a 30 course meal, I wouldn't expect less! Noted for being obsessed with the use of science (N2o is his flavor of choice) in his cuisine has caused much controversy.  
When I was in Culinary school, I became quite enamored with his book El Bulli 2003-2004. Now it wasn't so much for his cooking, but his style and blending the most unlikely of flavors. With items like frozen whisky sour candy, white garlic and almond sorbet, and tobacco flavored- blackberry crushed ice you can't help but be surprised.   A person willing to step outside of the norm for his passion certainly deserves my respect.  

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