Where Does Chef José Andrés Find Culinary Inspiration? (VIDEO)
Chef José Andrés, a Spanish native and owner of ThinkFoodGroup, has long been credited for bringing high-end Spanish food to America; and Andrés did not disappoint when genConnect caught up with him at the 2012 Travel + Leisure Global Bazaar.
Andrés wowed at the event with liquid olives, a culinary homage to longtime friend and mentor Ferran Adrià who created the innovation several years ago. Watch below as genConnect’s Randi Zucker tastes the olives and Andrés talks about finding inspiration through travel; plus keep an eye out for Chef Tim Love, who makes an appearance in the video and reveres Andrés as “the most amazing chef on the planet.”
Liquid Olives
Related: José Andrés on Tapas and ‘Let’s Move’ Effort
So what is a liquid olive? Through the culinary process of “spherification,” olive juice (taken from uncured green olives) is mixed with sodium gluconate, which is then squirted into ball shapes and plopped into a mixture of water and sodium alginate. The spheres are marinated in olive oil and served on tasting spoons.
“When you introduce the olives in your mouth, it’s going to explode,” Andrés said. “Your mouth is going to be full of flavors. I like to bring tradition but also push modernity so that’s what this is.”
As a Spanish-bred chef with restaurants all over America, Andrés explains that his biggest culinary inspiration is travel.
“Go places,” he said. “That doesn’t mean you need to go far away; even in your own city, go to neighborhoods you’ve never been before. Anywhere you go, always open your mind.”
WATCH: T+L Editor-in-Chief Nancy Novogrod Says ‘Travel Is a Change Agent’
Click here for more of our coverage from the 2012 Travel + Leisure Global Bazaar. Don’t forget to follow us on:
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Category: Food & Wine, Lifestyle, Videos
