Christian Puglisi

credits: Brambilla - Serrani

credits: Brambilla - Serrani

Relae

Jægersborggade, 41
Copenaghen
Danimarca
+45.36966609

 

Christian Puglisi was born in 1982 in Messina but, at the age of 7, the placid waves of the Strait were soon replaced by the sparkling air that envelops Copenhagen, city that will be the final host of his ambitions. The stoves burn him (with passion) since his teenage years: after having learnt the basics in Denmark, he leaves for Paris to peel potatoes at the brasserie Le Petit Bofinger and then at the Taillevent, his first window overlooking the starred world.

Once again in Copenhagen, he enriches the kitchens of Røgeriet, Hansens Køkken og Bar, Søren K and Oliva until, everybody stay cool, in 2006 Roses' Bulli calls him for an internship. «From Ferran Adrià I learnt the meaning of science and intelligence», Puglisi will say later «from Redzepi, on the other hand, I learnt to free my instinct and fantasy». What happens is that after el rey from Catalonia, the Macedonian Renè becomes his new teacher: for two years and a half, Christian is sous-chef at Noma's, after which the Italian-Danish man decides to “kidnap” sommelier Kim Rossen and, in the summer of 2010, opens his own restaurant, Relae, in the increasingly groovy neighbourhood of Nørrebro.

Puglisi's ideas are very clear: if something is a waste of time or money, it needs to stay out, «whether it be Philippe Starck's design plate or a stiff sommelier with his moustache upwards». In the dining hall you'll find only two people, no constant panic to fill up the glasses as soon as they're empty. We've left out all frills and try to get to the heart. Especially in the kitchen: enough of those infinite tasting menus «4 dishes are enough, all my stakes are on those». No overlapping of dozens of herbs and shoots, life is too short. But 3-4 ingredients at the most, always super-fresh and with the most natural taste.

How about the recruiting of raw materials? Taliban localism as in Redzepi's rule? Not really, because «being Sicilian I can't turn my back on olive oil, lemons and tomatoes». So there's no dogmatism: «after all, if I'd copy Noma's entire approach, I'd betray its fundamental lesson: make an effort not to repeat styles you've seen elsewhere». This is personality, the same that in a few months has imposed his direct and bearded face on the stages of numerous gastronomy congresses. And the photo of his Marinated mackerel, cauliflower and lemon puree on the most influential magazines in the world.

 

Has participated in

Identità Milano


by

Gabriele Zanatta

born in Milan, 1973, freelance journalist, coordinator of Identità Golose World restaurant guidebook since 2007, he is a contributor for several magazines and teaches History of gastronomy and Culinary global trends into universities and institutes. 
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