Meeting Ferran Adria, the most creative Chef in the world ever.

Ferran Adria at the press conference.

 

How often you meet your hero in your life time? I met 2 of them at once, how cool is that !!

4th of July 2013 is the day to remember in my life !

 

I was looking forward to seeing  elBulli ; Ferran Adria and the art of Food exhibition at the Somerset House as soon as I read in the paper.

For a few years I tried to book his restaurant elBulli but failed miserably, now he closed restaurant and open Culinary School . I would love to have had an experience tasting his wonder foods. 

  

I was invited by Catalan Culture institute to the preview on 4th, July. how nice!!

Left house to catch 7:30 train with excitement and expectation. 

Finally after coffee we were ushered to the Embankment Gallery, covered with Ferran Adria's photos .

Ferran arrived , looked much slimmer than  photo , before the speech I had a chance to talk to him as I was standing in front of the line. well I just said, I am a Korean food writer ( Being not a famous person, this was the only option ), his reply was oh! Korea (Corea) has good Foods ( I was shocked by this) and I am asking do you know Kimchi? he said ,I love it!  ( he can not speak English well)

I was so  delighted to hear that and shocked at same time by his quick reply as soon as I said the word, Kimchi! which means he really love it.

 I knew he loves Japanese food and he seemed implement Japanese foods( ingredients) in his recipes a lot .

I wonder how he will do with kimchi if he use in his restaurant ? It would have been very interesting to know.

Kimchi is truly recognised by the most creative chef in the world ever , how good is it?

 

elBulli had trained 1800 chefs from all over the world during he was in charge, he famously told the stuff, get rid of cook book and not copying the recipes just invent new recipes in his restaurant. 

When I read his book,  A day at elBulli, I could not believe what I was reading, just like a magic !

looking at all the photos, and creation , I could not take in , my brain is so over worked by this.

 

I found a Dessert box in the middle of exhibition , like a oriental jewellery box, , one dessert called  white chocolate air, it just looked like my favourite Korean rice sweet called yewgua(유과), it is made with sticky rice flour, hollow in the middle, light as air. how funny!

 I did wonder how his idea  of the Chocolate air come from?

Black sesame rock looks so realistic just like a small rock . It is true,  they are the Art of  Food.

White Chocolate air (top left)

Dessert Box

 with Artist, made elBulli model ( below) with egg white



elBulli, made with egg white

 

The exhibition contains all kind of information include name of chefs , who had been trained at elBulli, how create the dish, all kind of gadget used in the kitchen. video are showing step by step how can make a dish. But I could not take in , thinking I have to visit again , at least twice.

One thing is clear to me, since elBulli's creation  , world food by any chefs has changed , there are before Adria and after Adria in western restaurant food.

Adria and elBulli has made a history of how create modern cuisine .
 Looking at his exhibition, his foods are truly  the art with science, and theatre !!
Shame! I didn't have a chance to taste his food.
 

Photos of elBulli's dishes

Albert Adria ( Ferran's brother)

 

I just had a chance to talk Albert ( Ferran's brother) who create elBulli dishes with his brother, I knew he is still running his own restaurants in Barcelona. But I have not had a chance to visit yet. We were talking about kimchi again, he told me, he serve with octopus & kimch in his restaurant!! ( how wonderful and I was so proud)

 

Kimchi is  the dish at the moment for the chefs in London, as fermented foods seemed all chefs favourite subject, Kimchi fit in so well in this movement, as strong but kind of delicate flavour is became the dish for the London culinary world at the moment, some chefs are serving kimchi hollandaise with skirt beef steak.

 

I thought I have to taste Albert Adria's Kimch& Octopus soon.

Hope he makes good rightly fermented kimchi .

 

Talking about Kimchi, I am looking forward to have work shop with young chefs in London soon, I will do demonstrate kimchi making, taste and introducing  my home made seasonal kimchi, mooli,  stuffed cucumber, watery (non spicy ones)kimchi to the young chefs and kimchi lovers as well.

 

 4th of July is the day I met my food hero! truly the day to remember in my life.

 

Looking forward to revisit this exhibition and soak in this wonder creation and his ( and team) thought behind.