FERRAN ADRIA SAYS NEW YORK CULINARY SCENE BEATS SPAIN, FRANCE
The world’s most famous molecular gastronomist says the future of food is in New York City.
The Albert Einstein of the food world, elBulli visionary Ferran Adria addressed a packed room at The Modern at MoMA last night. There to sign copies of his new book, the Spanish chef spoke passionately (with the aid of a translator) on the reason he closed his famous restaurant in Catalonia, Spain—to chart a new course with his elBullifoundation—and why New York is the culinary epicenter of the world. “People might say it’s France or Spain, but no, it’s New York,” said Adria, who added that since elBulli closed in July 2011, he’s spent more time in New York than anywhere else.
Comprised of six textbook-like catalogues and one “evolutionary analysis,” elBulli 2005-2011 ($625, Phaidon) recaps every dish ever served at elBulli during the time frame via 2,720 pages and 1,400 images. The tome ties into the larger mission of the elBullifoundation, a culinary think tank set to open at the site of elBulli in May of 2015. But Adria feels so “at home” in New York that he mentioned he’d like to open an outpost of the foundation here in New York, perhaps, he said, with the help of close friend Marcus Samuelsson, who was in the house at The Modern last night.
Abram Bissell’s inventive canapés were an homage to elBulli. (photo: Scott Rudd)
To give guests a taste of the techniques and ingredients catalogued in the book, The Modern executive chef Abram Bissell prepared canapés inspired by different eras at elBulli. We tried a candy-red beet sphere stuffed with ice-cold goat cheese, shrimp cocktail re-imagined as chips and dip, and a spongecake-style take on bread and butter, all of which were utterly delightful.
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Ferran Adria
