Apicius 28 (eBook)

Passion. Courage. Independence. Essence. Respect. Happiness. Humility. Effort. Perseverance. Service. Generosity. Ambition. Audacity. Restlessness. And also Memory, because “those who forget their past lose their identity,” as Jãvi Antoja de la Rosa, director of the high-end gastronomy magazine Apicius and Montagud Editores’ Editorial Projects, states. These 15 values are common, acting as ‘commandments,’ to all contemporary culinary projects where excellence prevails. And they are so regardless of location, the number of Michelin stars, or whether they are renowned gastronomic establishments or budding new projects. In this way, Apicius 28 demonstrates in black and white—and across more than 200 pages, 50 creations, 200 preparations, and nearly 40,000 words—how these 15 essential 'commandments' of high-end gastronomy are perfectly fulfilled. And it does so through its 12 indispensable authors.

Vicente Patiño has been in the kitchen for almost 25 years. Throughout this time, he has earned the title of 'guardian of flavor,' which he proudly displays at his restaurant. 2007 was, without a doubt, a kind of 'starting point.' That year, he won the Revelation Chef Award at Madrid Fusión. His work at the Sal de Mar restaurant (Dénia, Alicante) earned him this recognition. After that, the chef moved to Valencia and, without even knowing it, became one of the architects of all the good things that gastronomically began to happen in the city. He did this from the Óleo restaurant, where he started working in 2008. Four years later, Vicente Patiño had a concern: he wanted to be his own boss. The chef knew it was the only way to be himself in the kitchen. So he set himself a challenge... and succeeded handily. About the Saiti restaurant: Vicente Patiño wanted to be his own boss. The result of his success is Saiti. The restaurant takes its name from the Iberian name for Xàtiva, the Valencian town where the chef is from. The establishment undoubtedly offers one of the best value-for-money experiences in Valencia, as well as in the rest of Spain. It holds a Bib Gourmand – a Michelin Guide recognition for quality tables at moderate prices. Vicente Patiño earned – and maintains – this distinction with three menus priced at 27, 37, and 50 euros.

Benito Gómez has been in the business for 20 years. He started in 1996 in Barcelona, where he worked with Jean Luc Figueras. Then, he moved to Cuenca to cook at Las Rejas, under the esteemed chef Manolo de la Osa. It was at that moment that he set a new course: the Seville town of Sanlúcar la Mayor, where he cooked at La Alquería de Hacienda Benazuza, from elBulli. After that, he moved to Ronda (Málaga) and worked at Tragabuches with Dani García. And, in July 2016, he opened the doors of Bardal. Since then, he has earned the respect of colleagues and diners alike. This has been thanks to his talent and sensitivity. And also thanks to, among other things, a cuisine characterized by an “original play of contrasts,” as his team explains. About the Bardal restaurant: “At Bardal, we offer the best of tradition, technique, and product.” All of this with the goal of providing “a memorable experience. In every sense and for all the senses.” This is chef Benito Gómez’s mission statement for the restaurant. And he adheres to it strictly… In it, he “rescues the traditional flavors of Andalusian cuisine.” And, furthermore, he combines them with “cold, heat, nitrogen, broths, reductions, textures, and techniques.” All of this, with honesty and “a personal idea of creative cuisine.”

Abraham García has been cooking for more than half a century. Well-understood fusion is one of his hallmarks. The cultured chef, with an overwhelming personality, believes that the successful combination of gastronomic elements from different cultures arrived much earlier. “Culinary fusion began with the accidental arrival in the New World,” says García. “The proud caravels were pantries with sails.” All the years - decades - that the chef has been at the forefront have yielded much. Also, to inspire a genius... The Abraham García of Viridiana is, in this way, the one who sparked David Muñoz's (DiverXO, three Michelin stars) interest in cooking. This was when he was still a child. Muñoz has stated on several occasions that sitting at one of his tables was a major event for him. Thus, with all this, García's journey in the kitchen began practically by chance. It was when a young Abraham arrived in Madrid from the Montes de Toledo. He sought to escape the poverty of rural Spain in the 1960s. This is how he began working in hotel kitchens. After that, he landed at El Coto. The establishment, which has since closed its doors, was on the same street where Viridiana remains today. In addition to Viridiana, Abraham García is at the helm of Luz de Luna, a restaurant that fuses Mexican and Mediterranean flavors. About the Viridiana restaurant: Years pass and both chef and restaurant continue doing their own thing. “We officiate a cuisine detached from the fickle weathercock of fashion,” one of his mottos reads. This cuisine is “tasty, robust, and out of step.” Viridiana, the restaurant he leads, is a true classic in Madrid. And also a pioneering establishment of the first order. A quarter of a century ago, it was already serving intelligent and audacious fusion to each and every one of its diners.

Pepe and Diego Rodríguez have, over the years, managed to imbue their family inn with character and enthusiasm. The result is El Bohío. Thus, the restaurant has Pepe Rodriguez at the helm of the kitchens, and his brother Diego managing the front of house. Both have been instrumental in making the establishment decisive over the decades. Beyond his television persona - he is a judge on the MasterChef program - it could be said that Pepe Rodríguez has cooking in his blood. With Martín Berasategui as his mentor, the chef states that he does not see cooking as a profession, but as a way of life. For his part, Diego Rodríguez has two concepts as his daily maxim: comfort and service. About the El Bohío restaurant. El Bohío is located in Illescas (Toledo). Before the Civil War (1936-1939), it was the only roadside bar where those traveling by car to the City of Three Cultures from Madrid could stop. More than 80 years later, it stands as a key restaurant. Currently, it boasts a Michelin star with its own unique style. Thus, its cuisine is contemporary, yet at the same time, deeply connected to the local produce and flavors. Brothers Pepe and Diego Rodríguez complement their culinary offering with an acclaimed wine list. This, according to the restaurant's team, "is one of the most awarded in Spain." Interestingly, it is "presented to guests in seven voluminous tomes," as the restaurant team continues to explain.

Hailing from Alcalá de Henares in Madrid, Aurelio Morales' culinary journey was forged in some of Spain's finest kitchens. Among them is Miramar, with two Michelin stars, where Morales worked as head chef for an essential figure: Paco Pérez, a Montagud Editores author with 'Miramar. Paco Pérez'. Similarly, Aurelio has worked in restaurants such as Tickets by Albert Adrià and ABaC by Jordi Cruz. "After training and taking on leadership and creative roles in major gastronomic references in the country," explains the Cebo restaurant team, "he reached sufficient maturity." And he did so to "define his own cuisine." In turn, the chef would have "youth to continue developing it." Thus, Morales, back in Madrid, cooks the Mediterranean at Cebo. But, he does so without forgetting his origins. "His contemporary, progressive, and free cuisine has a great influence" from the regions by the sea. "Although he does not forget his Madrid ancestry to round out his style." Thus, the restaurant also presents itself as "a story created from two cities." About the restaurant: "A dynamic and constantly evolving cuisine, where the products will be the surprise and the diner is the protagonist." This is part of the mission statement with which Cebo was born. The restaurant, located in the Hotel Urban (in the heart of Madrid), has Paco Patón as its architect. He also manages the front of house. Thus, with the Morales-Patón tandem, this project aims to return the Hotel Urban to the epicenter of Madrid's 'gastronomic movement'.

Dani Serra is at the helm of the Can Dani restaurant (Formentera). "And we will continue, giving our best at kilometer 8.5 of the La Mola road on the best island in the Mediterranean," he states. From his kitchens, he shows courage with every authentic dish he serves... and he does so every day. On the one hand, he cooks in a territory that, until now, seemed only destined for tourists. On the other hand, he does so from an island whose activity is strongly marked by the months of better weather. He also displays this quality by fighting against adversity... Because commitment is always present at Can Dani. Sierra and his team demonstrate this by recreating experiences with their heads held high, after having won and soon after lost the first Michelin star in the Pityusic Islands. His work continues to be impeccable. About the Can Dani restaurant: Can Dani's cuisine is rooted. This is how the chef himself defines it. And he explains: "We build our proposal on quality." Also "on fresh local produce." In this way, the objective is to invite the diner to experience the Balearic island. This is how he arrives at his hallmark, 'rooted cuisine.' The basis of this is none other than to update tradition with current techniques. "In each bite there is an element, a concept, and an identity," the chef continues. "We travel to history, we serve the present, and we imagine the future." All of this, hand in hand with head chef Cristian Periscal.