Ferrán
Adrià:
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Biography
Chef Ferrán Adrià of El Bulli - Roses, Spain
Ferrán Adrià began his famed culinary career washing
dishes at a French restaurant in the town of Castelldefels, Spain.
Here, Adrià familiarized himself with basic cooking methods
as he applied a variety of culinary techniques, building his gastronomic
repertoire. Adrià then went on to work at various restaurants
before becoming assistant chef at Finisterre, a popular Barcelona
restaurant. Following that, he served in the Spanish military at
the Naval Base of Cartagena, where he was suitably stationed in
the kitchen. In 1984, at the age of 22, Adrià joined the
kitchen staff of El Bulli, and only 18 months later, he became head
chef.
El Bulli, located on the coast of Catalonia on the outskirts of
Barcelona, was known as a traditional French restaurant. When Adrià
joined the staff, the restaurant’s manager, Juli Soler, urged
Adrià to travel in order to acquire new and fresh culinary
ideas. Adrià soon began touring some of France’s top
kitchens, learning various techniques from many distinguished culinary
masters. During the second half of the 1980’s, Adrià
began performing culinary experiments, which were based on the use
of fresh materials and adapting classic Mediterranean preparations
to give El Bulli’s cuisine new twists with creative flair.
Among the many experiments Adrià conducted, one of the most
impressive and well received was his use of foams. This technique,
consisting of aerating ingredients with a siphon, introduces minute
bubbles which alter the texture of food. Adrià began applying
this culinary method to both sweet and savory dishes always respecting
his philosophy of combining unexpected contrasts of flavor, temperature
and texture. His culinary approaches are intended to provoke, surprise
and delight the diner.
In line with Adrià’s experimental philosophy, he dutifully
closes El Bulli for six months every year in order to travel abroad,
in search of new inspiration and ideas with which to astonish his
diners. And amazed they are. Adrià, who has been called “the
Salvador Dali of the kitchen,” has won global acclaim as one
of the most creative and inventive culinary geniuses in the world.
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