Being a chef is not about knowing how to cook. It’s knowing how to transport a way of thinking into a dish,” said Portuguese chef Joâo Rodrigues of Feitoria Restaurant in Lisbon, while plating his seafood dish in the auditorium of the Palacio Municipal de Congresos in Madrid.
It was a moment that perfectly illustrated the successful staging of the latest Madrid Fusión, where speakers presented the culinary techniques, philosophies and innovations they have been carrying out in their restaurants and culinary endeavors.
For 16 years now, the annual gastronomic congress has been conducting educational talks by some of the most important and influential names in the food industry.
The 2018 Madrid Fusion was no different, serving much food for thought.
Tomeu Caldentev spoke about front-of-house cooking, which he practices in his restaurant Es Moli d’en Bou in Spain. To entertain and excite the senses of his diners, he finishes his dishes tableside, like flambéing or stone grilling lobster on a trolley. These he demonstrated on stage.
Zaiyu Hasegawa of Jimbocho Den in Tokyo, Japan, began his presentation by sharing his humble beginnings. “I told my wife that I was busy in the kitchen even when no one came. The whole time, I was thinking of how I could get people [to my restaurant].”
He eventually reworked the rules of kaiseki and took a chance by serving his own take on Japanese fine dining. It paid off, and has even earned him two Michelin stars.
Displacement
Elena Arzak, named world’s best female chef in 2012, talked about displacement. “We are currently obsessed with order. It is typical for humans,” she said. “Our challenge is the opposite—to innovate, but respect origins, rules and flavor.”
She encouraged chefs to go to unexplored paths and cook against prejudices to advance their craft.
Many speakers put to action what she preached by playing with uncommon ingredients and demonstrating modern processes.
Mario Sandoval of Coque Restaurant cooked with fibers, turning corn husk and red grape skin into edible components.
Quique Dacosta salt-cured seafood like fish eggs, tuna belly and octopus and beautifully laid them on a tasting platter, which two randomly picked audience members luckily got to taste.
Diego Guerrero of DStage showed fat as great conductors of aroma.
Filipino chef Jordy Navarra introduced Asian ferments, while Inigo Lavador cooked cocochas or fish jaws on his traveling table.
Technology
One subject prevalent in the three days of the conference was technology and how it has influenced the industry.
On Day 1, Diego Coquillat, a hospitality management professor at the University of Alicante, mentioned how easy it is now to get to know a restaurant on the other side of the world with just a single press on the mobile phone. “Restaurants are no longer restricted to a physical space. Every digital ‘tap’ is a chance for the customer to learn about the brand or restaurant, letting them make more informed dining decisions.”
Ian Millar, senior lecturer on information technology at École hôtelière de Lausanne, agreed and noted how important it is these days to build a concept on top of technology. And to survive, businesses have to adapt to the changing times. It won’t be long before restaurants operate with mobile POS machines and electronic menus.
The Madrid Fusión speakers definitely gave the guests a lot to chew on about the future of food. More is set to be served when Madrid Fusion Manila takes place on April 19-22. —CONTRIBUTED
For details, visit madridfusionmanila.com
