Catalan cuisine in the 21st century: an artistic and polemic approach

If we understand the current wave of new modern restaurants as a manifestation by which one (the cook) expresses a personal and disinterested vision, while creating something original and imaginative with the combination of old and new means, we may admit this possibility.

Catalan chefs defend their artistry

Shrimp and Prawn Brochette by S. Santamaria. (cc) Ulterior Epicure

Catalan cuisine holds nowadays a privileged position within the Spanish cooking scene, thanks to an original approach based upon traditional and autochthonous ingredients which has led to international acclaim, to the point that this new cuisine has been described as a new art.

Many arguments contribute to this thesis, specially when it comes to valuing the great deal of creativity and innovation shown by these already famous chefs. Such is the case with Ferrán Adrià, considered by many one of the best chefs in the world. Owner of the widely known El Bulli restaurant, Adrià has now closed his repeatedly awarded business to create a foundation focused on cooking creativity, helping chefs to develop their skills, passion and knowledge in order to cook in a healthier way. In that sense, the late Santi Santamaria (owner of the famous Can Fabes) defended the artistic character of his creations, declaring that “every chef must have a definite personality in the kitchen so that, with hard work, dedication and the latest techniques, they can achieve and maintain a personal flavor that makes each creation something unique and valuable”.

Ferràn Adrià. Last day at El Bulli. (cc) Crónica Gastronómic

This passion has certainly manifested in other Catalan chefs, such as Carme Ruscalleda.  Having started as a modest butcher in a family-run meat shop, she opened her first restaurant just a few years later and is now the only woman in the world to have been awarded five stars by the Michelin Guide: three for her restaurant in Sant Pol de Mar, near Barcelona, and two for her Tokyo branch.

Too much for too little

However, this new sensitivity for the culinary issues has its detractors too, and many see on this new-cooking movement a certain desire to become celebrities, which constitutes the main reason for its controversy: the exclusiveness of the so-called “21st century cuisine”. According to them, it's prohibitive price, along with the little amount of food served, causes many to prefer the old-fashioned, more traditional restaurants. At the same time, said creativity is perceived as a mere and unnecessary frivolity, insufficient to justify neither such a high price nor the long wait (sometimes, bookings must be made with more than a year notice).

Since this a subjective question, a number of arguments can be provided in favor or against both postures. However, and despite the fact that these restaurants will probably continue to be reserved to the privileged, it is undoubted they have had a major role in bringing attention to the new Catalan cuisine as a whole, thus helping raise the profile of Catalunya’s culinary traditions.

Photo 2 and 3: Under a CC Liscense