19-04-2018
A long chat with Ricard Camarena, one of the greatest contemporary Spanish chefs, in Valencia
We sit in the lounge area of the new, magnificent location of his gourmet restaurant. Ricard Camarena is one of the current masters of Spanish cuisine. Philippe Regol, in our Guida Identità Golose, says: "It’s still not clear why his cuisine doesn’t receive more awards. It’s not a question of despairing for Michelin stars (he only has one), but if you compare the real standards of some “two stars” with this personal, intelligent and delicious cuisine, you have to be surprised". Indeed. And there’s more: Camarena is not just a great cochinero, but he’s also an excellent philosopher of contemporary cuisine. So before dining there, we have a long chat with him.
We sat with him on this sofa, in his restaurant
Camarena in the vegetable garden with Jordi Roca
In which percentage is your cuisine vegetal? Do you have a vegetarian menu? «No. For me the vegetal world always creates an important duality. I present a dish in which peas and scampi meet: then it’s the guest who decides which is the main character. Or aubergine with the belly of the best red tuna in the world. Then I like to understand what is at the service of what, who "leads". Or if you give two matched ingredients, a new, original mix always results from this. Our offer is entirely based on the immediacy of our ingredients; on broth made on the spot, to which we don’t add water, but we make use of the humidity of the raw ingredients, of their fat which we emulsify with the liquid... These are daily broths. I strongly believe in the essential power of oxidation, but never in a negative way: the passing of time is useful in some preparations, but in general it’s not my goal in the kitchen».
Anchovy colatura from Camarena
Camarena and paella
Spanish chefs have researched raw materials at length. Do you believe there are some that still need to be fully valorised? «Yes. Vegetables. I’ve been using vegetables more and more in the past seven years and I believe today they can make the difference. I believe we have an advantage and an opportunity here in Spain: there are many farmers now who make excellent vegetables. We are part of a global trend in this. I believe we’re responsible for what happens: if you come to my restaurant and order a tasting menu, the message I can give is important; if I show you how out of eight dishes, six have vegetables as their essential element, and I place vegetables in an unprecedented context, I associate excellence, fine dining, with the vegetal world. If I do so, if I present all the vegetables with complex techniques, and paired with fish, meat, crustaceans and so on, I send you a positive subliminal message».
Ferran Adrià surrounded by Spanish chefs (and Nobu)
How would you like your style to be defined? «A seemingly simple yet very complex cuisine, with elegant and intense flavours, and always very fresh».
The concept of post-avant-garde, the focus of Madrid Fusión in 2016
What are the global trends, in your opinion? «Sustainability, awareness, freshness, healthiness. Low fat, few simple carbohydrates, lots of vegetables... In other words, I think the global trend is my own!» he laughs.
To the left Marcos Morán with his father Pedro, the two generations running Casa Gerardo in Prendes, in the Asturias, in the north of Spain, tel. +34.98.5887797. «Marcos fights between the devil in his belly and the diplomatic wisdom of his father», wrote Spanish journalist Rafa Santos
And you? «We’re establishing ourselves. We hope to say something for the future of gastronomy, but we still have a lot to do».
Angel León at Identità Milano 2017
Andoni Luis Aduriz. «Determined».
Muñoz. «Revolutionary»
Massimo Bottura. «A philosopher».
Niko Romito at Identità Milano 2018
Which other Italian chefs do you know and like? «I dined at Carlo Cracco’s, five years ago. I loved it. I follow Romito’s work, as I said. And Massimiliano Alajmo’s... I’ve heard very good things of Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potì at Bros in Lecce. And Enrico Crippa is spectacular. I’ve also been at Combal.zero...».
Paul Bocuse
How about outside Europe? «It’s hard to make comparisons. Look at Japan: it’s like Mars, and we are on planet Earth. It’s another concept of cuisine. They give value to things in a different way, and vice versa».
Camarena’s final thoughts are like a perfect programmatic point for a new way to conceive our territories: we must recuperate the common roots of Mediterranean cuisine, enhancing the connections between these countries. «We speak of South East Asia, which is a huge and very varied area. We don’t do the same with Mediterranean cuisine, which has common roots, is born and developed in a much smaller area where we all cook in a similar way. It’s ridiculous. When I go to Israel, I feel at home; still I also find a different approach, in terms of products and places, which I find marvellous. The same happens in Italy, Greece, or in the south of France... We’re all equal and different at the same time. I believe the gastronomic identity of the Mediterranean area is very important. It will also be our distinctive feature. Forget about Nordic cuisine… let’s recuperate our roots!».
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
An outdoor trip or a journey to the other side of the planet? One thing is for sure: the destination is delicious, by Carlo Passera
by
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief