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Ferran Adria arrives in Australia on Thursday next week for his sold-out audience on the 19th at Hamer Hall (put on by the good folk at Melbourne Food and Wine). He’s here with his translator to spruik his book “A day at El Bulli” and I’m lucky enough to have 30 minutes with him on behalf of some on the people I write for.
I’ve hundreds of things I’d like to ask. But with so much written about Adria and his restaurant El Bulli (or elBulli as he styles it) there are probably few questions that haven’t been asked.
We know what he does, that he is 46 years old, that he works with his brother, that he is married, has no children and works 15 hour days. He’s been asked every variation of “what’s your food all about then”.
I’d like to talk to him about drinks. He serves his own engineered cocktails but also has a wine list. I know that wine is a convention to accompany food when eating out, but doesn’t it seem a little old fashioned and out of step with what he is serving?
Anyway, what would you like to ask Adria?
I’m not the first to do this and the New York Times is doing a Q&A on its blog.
Let me know by Saturday the 18th and I’ll put the best questions to him and publish the answers here.
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Can I please have a reservation?
But more seriously, I’d be keen on asking about the interrelationship between the food that he serves and the work that he does for Pepsico-owned Lays.
How does the corporate patronage change what he cooks at El Bulli? Does it give him better access to cutting edge food scientists and industrial techniques? Is his Tortilla Espagnole (made with potato chips) or his “3Ds with ras el hanout and lemon basil shoots” a clever product placement for Lays or is there no possible unbranded ingredient that can be substituted?
Has he heard about the work being done in
Hungary using sensors implanted on the tongue that can transmit the 5 basic tastes via bluetooth technology? Will he adapt this breakthrough into his repertoire ?
My fallback question to ask all parents is what values do they want to impart to their children (and whether they think their current lifestyle does that).
As for his wonderful food, by his standards I am a total heathen. So much so it makes me want to have a lentil burger and chips for dinner
I have loads of questions on drinks:
What does he think of the use of oak in Albarino and Verdejo?
What does he drink at home (is he ever there?)?
If I came over to Casa Adria with a bottle of 1966 Fonseca Vintage Port and insisted that we drink it with the first course what would you serve up?
Do you consider contrasting wine matches relevent? (e.g. Grand Gru Chabis and Wagu beef)
For a young twenty year old aspiring chef , passionate about this new type of cooking, what is the best path to follow?Would it better to study a science degree a university, work in a lab or try to find an apprenticeships in restaurants working in “molecular gastronomy”?
Basically, how can young aspiring cooks specialize in this type of cooking?
I’ve got a couple.
Despite the overwhelming popularity of your restaurant, do you think that perhaps people are tiring of your food movement and are turning back to real olives, not engineered ones?
With reports that some people are leaving hungry from restaurants serving your style of food, has anyone ever left your restaurant hungry?
Can you describe the feeling you have when you come up with a new dish, taste or texture that absolutely no one has ever had or tried before?
Given that you have done so much to introduce new food experiences, do you think that wine, food’s natural partner is in for a some sort of a makeover? What do think could be done to change it around in some way?
Is it becoming more difficult to keep being innovative or are there still many ingredients and combinations he has yet to try?
Does he use many branded products in his restaurant? (His new book has a recipe for deep-fried 3Ds - commercially produced conical corn chips - seasoned with ras el hanout, filled with cream and garnisged with a lemon basil shoot).
Can he recall a great “Eureka!” moment in his culinary experimentation?
What do the staff have for dinner?
Which chefs does he regard as innovative?
Mmmm, does he have a brother?
LOL ut si
When I read that, my next thought involved a cross between molecular gastronomy and body product. Um best not go there Ed
I don’t suppose anyone knows of any or has a spare ticket plus book (1) to his talk on Sunday in Melbourne??
I know, i know… i left it too late!! Just thought i’d put it out there!
Thanks…
i’d be asking when he’s opening a restaurant in Sydney!
looking forward to reading more of your blog.
s
I’m lucky enough to have tickets to see him at Hamer hall on Sunday. And I’m extremely jealous that you’ll get the chance to pick his brain for a while.
Ask him his opinion on celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver, and their entire world domination. Does his have any desire to be a household recognised name?
It would be interesting to see what his opinions on these guys are.
and does his find having the title of best restaurant in the world an inspiration or a overwhelming stress/pressure?
Ooh… ooh… I know this is late, and I’ve been racking my brain all week and coming up blank, but I only thought of it this morning while trying to figure out what to have for breakfast:
“What is Ferran’s favourite thing for breakfast?”