Spanish chef Juan Mari Arzak is considered one of the world’s great culinary masters. At his restaurant, which has earned three stars in the Michelin Guide, work is divided into several phases: kitchen, dining room, laboratory, office, and maintenance.
The story told in this book focuses on Arzak’s laboratory. Located apart from the actual restaurant, the laboratory is equipped with all the latest technological advances. It is here that the new dishes that will eventually be served in the restaurant are planned. The laboratory staff develops new ideas, explores new flavor combinations, and reinvents familiar concepts. To prepare themselves for this task, the staff members must read many books, travel, and always be ready to interpret the world around them in culinary terms. When they return to the laboratory, they begin to experiment with their ideas. Only a tiny percentage of the recipes actually make it to the dining room, so the few that do are a source of great satisfaction to the staff, making them feel that their mission has been accomplished.
The laboratory staff includes Elena Arzak, Igor Zalakain, and Xabier Gutiérrez, who work under the careful supervision of Juan Mari Arzak himself.
The book focuses on a very specific part of the work done in the laboratory¿the appetizers known as “pinchos.” In reflecting upon these dishes, the author reveals a great deal about the world of urban cuisine.
This innovative book of culinary literature will captivate readers from the very start with its daring and original contents as well as the excellent quality of its photographs and other graphic materials. This unique book, guaranteed to leave no reader indifferent, will awaken the senses.
