Ferran Adrià has been considered for many years as the best chef in the world and his restaurant El Bulli, the world’s best restaurant. Together with Lisa Abend, ‘Time’ magazine’s Spain correspondent explained a movie project based on Abend’s book ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentices’. The movie will show the experience of young cooks in El Bulli.
According to a study released by the Spanish Observatory of the Wine Market, Catalan wine exports increased by 8.8% in 2010 in terms of revenue, but at a lower rate than other wine producing areas in Spain, with an average increase of 10%. However, foreign customers seem to appreciate the quality of Catalan wine, as its price increased by 3.6%, while the average Spanish wine price dropped by 4.9%.
Catalan tradition dictates godfathers to offer a “Mona de Pasqua” to their godsons or goddaughters for Easter Monday. The cake goes with a chocolate sculpture or figurine, which in some cases are true masterpieces. Chocolate houses, chocolate trains or popular cartoons made out of chocolate are some of the creations that top the cake. Catalan patissiers expect to sell 660,000 “mones” this year, although smaller ones due to the economic slowdown.
The Catalan restaurant came second in the ‘S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards’, organised by British Restaurant Magazine, with Copenhagen's ‘Noma’ topping the list.
Valentí Mongay, President of Garraf’s ‘Slow-food’ and coordinator of the 'Km 0' initiative, has said that by reducing the number of intermediaries, there would be more affordable quality products available, that would be respect seasonal products. He also explain the ‘Flavour Ark’ initiative to preserve local species.
Torres is one of Catalonia's most globally recognised wine houses, with vineyards and wineries in places such as Chile and California. Company President Miguel A. Torres believes that innovation in every step of the process of wine production is necessary. He also stressed the importance of exports to get over the crisis.
The Rovira Brothers make an unrivalled gastronomic duo. They claim that having a close relationship with the producers is a key element to get the best out of the products they use.
PIMECAVA is the Association of Small and Medium-sized Cava Producers. It is chaired by Mercè Rosell, who claims in a video interview that the only way to compete against French champagne is by marketing cava as a quality and prestigious product. In order to do that it is fundamental to have the support of big cava companies like Freixenet and Codorniu and a good relationship with exporters.
In a video interview, the Catalan chef who has been awarded five Michelin Stars, Carme Ruscalleda, explains her vision of Catalan cuisine. She describes it as a combination of specific techniques and wit carried out by farmers and fishermen mixed with French and Italian bourgeois cuisine. According to her, Catalonia’s gastronomy is derived from local products and is spreading worldwide, thanks in part to the influence of Ferran Adrià.
Chef Mercè Brunés is invited to China to present Catalan dishes on local media.
The Catalan Chef Santi Santamaria died of a heart attack this February. Last Autumn he gave this video interview in which he depicts his view on cuisine, the importance of local quality products, his own career and the new generation of the Catalan chefs.
Thanks to exports, 2010 was a great year for the Catalan cava industry. The total revenue reached 1,031 million euros, 10.87% more than 2009.
Top chefs such as Ferran Adrià, Carme Ruscalleda and the Roca brothers gave talks at the cuisine and gastronomy congress. The Fòrum Gastronòmic held in Girona is one of the top fairs of its kind in Europe.
The famous Catalan chef Ferran Adria was speaking at the Gastronomic Forum in Girona today. He said he would not be participating in conference for the next three years as he will be concentrating on his own brand new foundation. The Gastronomic Forum is a leading congress on cuisine that brings 30,000 people from all the world together.
Santamaria was at his Singapore restaurant when he died. The actual causes of the death are still unknown, but the family talks about a heart attack. Santamaria was a defender of the Catalan traditional cuisine. He had two restaurants close to Barcelona and one in Madrid, Toledo, Dubai, and Singapore. He was the first Catalan chef to get three Michelin Stars for his main restaurant, ‘El Racó de Can Fabes’.