Spanish steps
It is the most unlikely location for a culinary revolution, but overlooking the tiny bay of Cala Montjoi in a remote corner of north-eastern Spain is a restaurant that many say is 10 years ahead of its time. Chef-patron Ferran Adrià is so scientific in his approach that he has just converted an apartment in central Barcelona into a laboratory to aid him in his deconstruction (and reconstruction) of food. And, as a result of his reputation, El Bulli, Adrià's 55-seat, three-Michelin-starred restaurant has become something of a Mecca.
To date, only a handful of British chefs have made the pilgrimage to El Bulli. However, their visits have had such a profound effect that Adrià's influence is finding its way into our kitchens as leading chefs queue up to place their protégés at his restaurant.
The style of cooking at El Bulli is hard to describe. Ingredients, generally, are local. The presentation of dishes can be either startlingly rustic or picture perfect and the flavour and texture combinations are far from the norm. It is these attributes that have helped to spread the Adrià word - and which tempted six British chefs to visit the restaurant last month.
All the pilgrims - Gordon Ramsay, chef-proprietor of Gordon Ramsay, London; Heston Blumenthal, chef-proprietor, the Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire; Kevin Mangeolles, head chef, the George hotel, Great Yarmouth; Paul Merrett, head chef, the Greenhouse, London; Simon Shaw, head chef at Prism, London; and last year's Roux Scholar, Sat Bains, head chef of Hotel des Clos in Nottingham - had been Adrià fans for some time. The 36-hour trip, organised by Caterer, gave them the chance to meet the man.
The drive
Getting to El Bulli is no easy task. Although the restaurant is closer to Gerona airport, on this occasion the chefs fly into Barcelona, so a two-hour coach ride awaits them on arrival at the airport. Cala Montjoi is seven kilometres from the port of Rosas and a steep journey over the Ampurdan hills lies ahead. But the approach adds to the anticipation of the dining experience.
On arrival at the restaurant, the chefs are immediately met by an excited Adrià. He guides them straight into his kitchen, where they are overwhelmed by the sight of probably the most hi-tech set-up they have ever seen - 325 square metres of marble and stainless steel. It is a complete contrast to the restaurant itself with its wooden beams, deep red velvet banquettes, old photographs and rough, whitewashed walls.
Now for the lunch. The first amuse gueule comes swiftly to the table, whisky sour with passion fruit. "Great idea," they all mutter, as the fragrant acidity of the drink kick-starts their gastric juices.
The nibbles follow quickly and include trout caviare cornet and tempura, pine nut crackling and a teaspoon of apple vinegar jelly flavoured with juniper. Everyone has a favourite. "Lovely spice," says Merrett, of the cocoa and curry-caramelised peanuts. A teaspoon carrying a slice of strawberry covered with a Campari jelly arrives for each taster. "Strawberry and Campari? Wild, man," says Bains. The monogrammed sachets of puffed quinoa (think Sugar Puffs, but better) are the last off the table. "Good, eh?" says Ramsay, with a grin (this is his third visit).
Adrià is best known for his palate games and the next dish - polenta with olive oil - shows that his reputation is justified. The polenta is ice cold (with the aid of a Paco-Jet sorbet-maker) and resembles grated Parmesan. It is served in a simple blue bowl with a warm Parmesan cream. "Very clever," says Blumenthal. "The impact is far greater than knowing what the ingredients actually are."
"This is beetroot with yogurt and vinegar," announces the waiter. It's a beetroot soup with a quenelle of olive oil and dried yogurt powder. "I would have to smoke a lot of drugs before I came up with any ideas like this," sniggers Merrett. "I feel a bit like Carlton Palmer watching Ronaldo. I really want to be good, but maybe I've just got two left feet."
Tagliatelle carbonara is served next, but all is not what it seems. The pasta is, in fact, chicken consommé jelly and is served with a white truffle oil-flavoured carbonara. "You could close your eyes and think it is spaghetti carbonara. Unbelievable," says Shaw.
The 13th course in the 24-course menu is asparagus encased in gratinated Parmesan cheese with lemon and served with a truffle vinaigrette. "The lemon just wakes everything up," says Mangeolles.
When a dish named cauliflower "couscous" arrives on the table, the chefs cannot believe their eyes. The "couscous" is finely grated cauliflower and it prompts much discussion. "Some poor bastard has been brunoising that," laughs Mangeolles. "Do you reckon he passed the cauliflower through a drum sieve and then let it dry out?" he adds. "No, I think it's grated raw, then dried, and steamed to heat it up," replies Ramsay. "What a rocket scientist. Just wait until we see the lab tomorrow morning."
The monkfish liver and soya emulsion with blood orange doesn't go down so well. "It doesn't do it for me," says Bains. "Nor me," adds Shaw. "It was a bit bitter and I think the caramel is supposed to bethere to counteract that - but it didn't work," explains Mangeolles.
The next course of goose barnacles set in barnacle jus with Darjeeling-flavoured foam reminds Blumenthal (smugly) of a dish he's doing at the Fat Duck - a jelly of Earl Grey and sea urchins.
Snails with Jabugo ham sends the room humming again. "Is that a piece of butter in jelly?" says Blumenthal, incredulously. The "butter ravioli" is a knob of unsalted butter wrapped in another of Adrià's famous jellies. A carefully cut piece of ham wraps each snail. "You could not eat this as a main dish," declares Ramsay. "I think a lot of Ferran's dishes are designed to be eaten small like this." Merrett says he would like to see the à la carte and how Adrià presents it. "I bet no one ever sees it," pipes up Bains. "This place is a one-off," concludes Ramsay. "It's a destination. You don't come for a starter, main course and dessert."
Palates are revived with asparagus, warm mayonnaise and pink grapefruit. "Amazing," says Ramsay. "Asparagus blanched and served with a sorbet made from its own water." A dish entitled "black rice" causes another stir. It is finely cut beansprouts in squid ink and squid ink jelly. So do the sardines with breadcrumbs (which is, in fact, a thinly rolled out slice of bread) and one of Merrett's, Shaw's and Bains' favourites. "Perfectly cooked sardines. When do you see that?" says Blumenthal.
Rabbit civet with a warm apple gelatine and edged with tiny clumps of Billington sugar is the only meat dish in the line-up, and after the carbonara, Mangeolles's favourite dish. "It's the first time I've eaten out in a long time and not had any caviare, foie gras or truffles, and still come away thinking, wow, this is exciting," says Ramsay. "And I'd like to know where he buys that cauliflower couscous from," he adds, with agiggle.
"It definitely couldn't be replicated could it?" says Bains. "How many times have you come up with dishes and thought, well, maybe not, it's a bit too wacky? This gives you the confidence to give them a try," sums up Merrett. Bains describes it as a mind-blowing experience. "El Ballsy, that's what we'll have to call it from now on," quips Ramsay.
The trip to El Bulli was organised with the assistance of Iberia, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Arts, Barcelona and Maria Jose Sevilla of Foods from Spain.
What they thought
Simon Shaw
"My overall impression? Gobsmacked. It's the whole package - the drive, the setting, the backdrop. It proves that quality does prevail. There must have been people there from all over the world, and they had all made that effort to get there.
"Highlights? Everything really, though I suppose if I had to choose then the trout caviare in tempura, the polenta with Parmesan, the tagliatelle, the couscous, the barnacles, and the sardines. I'll definitely do the whisky sour. It was so simple and so refreshing and it really got your taste-buds going."
Kevin Mangeolles
"You sometimes go to a restaurant and one dish may be outstanding, but so many things about El Bulli were brilliant. I now realise it can't be copied, although I've already been experimenting!
"I thought the tagliatelle was brilliant, so clever. But however brilliant it was, I don't know if I could do that in my restaurant."
Heston Blumenthal
"It's unlike anywhere else I have ever been. It is possibly the most impressive dining experience I'll ever have.
"You're captivated by the drive, and the location, and the contrast of the kitchen and the restaurant, and seeing what's going on in there. I think his uniqueness is his freedom of expression more than anything. The impact isn't one dish, it's the style of his individuality. He plays a much bigger game by looking at the psychological aspects of food - what you see is not what you get - for example, the Parmesan and polenta dish."
Sat Bains
"Initially, when we were all planning to go down there, I was keen to see if the first time I went there, eight months ago, was a dream. But going back was a reality.
"Ferran Adrià is incredibly inspiring, very clever - he's thought about everything. He is doing exactly what he wants to do. The freedom of El Bulli is what I like. That's what Ferran has got - he's not following anybody. He's leading, so the doors are open."
Paul Merrett
"I've been aware of El Bulli for about six or seven years now, but all this time I never really knew anything substantial about the style of cookery.
"I wasn't gagging to go, but on reflection I would say it was a very important meal for me. Not that I want to carbon-copy what we ate, but it has renewed my vigour to cook to the best of my ability. It has inspired me to try things that many might believe don't work."
Gordon Ramsay
"Ferran Adrià opened a lab because he was never left alone to create," says Ramsay, "No disrespect to other three-Michelin-starred chefs, especially in Europe, and how they work, but Ferran is going the opposite way to everyone else. Some chefs get to three stars and then don't change anything. This guy is the complete opposite and it's such a breath of fresh air."
