Seduction Meals - Ferran Adrià's new elBulli Foundation

Wednesday March 23, 2011

Ferran Adrià's new elBulli Foundation

"Freedom to Create" is the motto and goal of Ferran Adrià's new elBulli Foundation. The organization will take the place of the legendary chef's famous restaurant elBulli, near Barcelona, Spain after it closes its doors this summer. Chef Adrià spoke of his innovative plans for the first time ever in the United States during a visit to The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY on March 21.

The Barcelona native says he will turn the restaurant's property into a park and "reserve" for culinary brainstorming, opening in 2014. Each year, 20 collaborators from around the world will be selected to work with the base team. Through the Internet, chefs across the globe will then be able to access the thousands of ideas the team creates, and use the ones that fit their restaurants.

Chef Adrià pioneered molecular gastronomy, which he calls "deconstructivist" or avant garde cooking. He has been chef of elBulli for 24 years. Over the past decade it has been widely considered the best restaurant in the world, earning that official title from England's Restaurant magazine an unprecedented five times. On July 31, 2011, elBulli will close for good. (so sad!)

Chef Adrià was at the CIA for a panel discussion with Lisa Abend, author of The Sorcerer's Apprentices, a new book about Adrià and elBulli; and two former apprentices at the restaurant, including CIA graduate George Mendes '92. About 1,200 CIA students attended the event.

Posted by terry dagrosa at 11:11AM on March 23 in obsessions / Permalink