Published by Phaidon Press, 2010, softcover, oversized, illustrated, 528 pages, 22.5 cms x 29 cms x 3.6 cms, some minor rippling to last few pages, otherwise condition: very good.
For the first time, A Day at elBulli: An Insight into the Ideas, Methods and Creativity of Ferran Adria allows unprecedented access to one of the world's most famous, sought-after and mysterious restaurants. Having held three Michelin stars since 1997, and regularly voted 'Best Restaurant in the World' by a panel of 500 industry professionals, elBulli has been at the very forefront of the restaurant scene since Ferran Adria became sole head chef in 1987.
Aimed at food enthusiasts as well as industry professionals, the book documents all the activities and processes that make up just one day of service with stunning colour photography of the kitchens, staff, creative workshop, dishes, the restaurant itself and its striking surroundings near the town of Roses, north east of Barcelona. The book starts with daybreak at 6.15 am, then shows visits to the local markets to source ingredients from 7.00 am, Ferran's arrival at the workshop, his morning creative experimentation session, the arrival of the rest of the brigade at 2.3 0 pm to begin the mise-en-place for the evening, the preparations of each guest's menu, the daily tasks of the front of house team, and the arrival of the first guests for dinner from 7.45 pm until the last guests' departure by 2.00 am.
The menu is fully explained with detailed and technical recipes that reveal the full extent of the chefs' artistry. Innovative text inserts open the lid on the history of elBulli and Ferran Adria, the creative methods, the secret workshops, the technical processes behind the creation of a dish, the network of sensations and interactions that take place between a restaurant and its guests and the sensory experiences of eating, as well as the formidable reservations procedure and the structure of a meal into four theatrical 'acts'.
A Day at elBulli: An Insight into the Ideas, Methods and Creativity of Ferran Adria reveals for the first time the creative process, innovative philosophy and extraordinary techniques of the multi-award-winning restaurant, elBulli, and its legendary head chef, Ferran Adria. Situated on a remote beach on the northeast coast of Spain, elBulli is famous for being the ultimate pilgrimage site for foodies, and a reservation that is nearly impossible to obtain. Each year elBulli is open for just six months, and receives more than 2 million requests for only 8,000 seats. Renowned for his spectacular ever-changing 30-course tasting menu, Adria's pioneering culinary techniques have been applauded - and imitated - by top chefs around the globe for the past decade, and he was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of our time. If you weren't one of the lucky few to get in this year (2008 reservations were booked a year in advance), you can now experience the restaurant like never before. This generously-illustrated 600-page ''day in the life'' features over 800 photographs, menus, recipes and diagrams, and presents a guided tour through a full working day at elBulli. The book documents the activities of each hour of the day, from dawn at 6.15 am to switching off the lights at 2.00 am.
The book highlights 30 dishes which represent a full elBulli menu, and Adria shows you how he creates the restaurant's innovative cuisines. Sample recipes include Samphire Tempura with Saffron and Oyster Cream, Steamed Brioche with Rose-Scented Mozzarella, and Coulant/Souffle of Granadilla with Cardamom Toffee. In April 2008, elBulli won the #1 Best Restaurant in the World, for the third year in a row at the S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards. A Look Inside A Day at elBulli
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