Percebes from Tracy Chang on Vimeo.

Percebes (Gooseneck Barnacles) in Spain are found along the rugged coasts of Galicia, especially near the dangerous cliffs of the appropriately named “Costa da Morte,” or the Coast of Death. It’s a beautifully striking landscape, with jagged cliffs with the cold Atlantic waters pounding the huge rocks below. This creates the perfect habitat for these barnacles who attach themselves permanently to the rocks beaten by the surf and feed off the plankton and other small crustaceans that the waves bring them. Fisherman risk their lives as they swim to harvest the Percebes, thus explaining the high prices Spaniards will gladly pay to indulge in this delicacy.

Emotion, Memory, and the Senses in Experiential Cuisine at El Celler de Can Roca

 Some chefs are too clever for their own good. Wacky techniques for the sake of wacky techniques without any context have little point. But at El Celler de Can Roca it’s all about emotional intelligence. In this case, “creativity as a way to convey feelings,” as Chef Joan Roca puts it. Joan Roca works together with his brothers, Pastry Chef Jordi Roca and Sommelier Josep Roca to produce a cohesive dining experience that is focused on creating what they call a “state of mind,” or emotion, for the diner. Each brother embodies a key role, and even though they will tell you that Joan is in charge of savory, Jordi of pastry, and Josep of wine, the real answer is more complex than that. While they each are master of a discipline, they act and move and think as one, with a unified goal............continue

San Sebastián Gastronomika 2010:
Culinary Currents on Spain’s North Shore

San Sebastián Gastronomika 2010: Thomas Keller, Ferran Adrià, Anthony Bourdain, and Martín Berasategui—pause to take a breath—Juan Mari Arzak, Wylie Dufresne, Daniel Boulud, Joan Roca, Carmé Ruscalleda … is there anybody out there with a knife in one hand and a microplane in his or her back pocket who wouldn’t be happy to see 50 Michelin stars ruminating over naturalism, their latest and greatest ideas, and the proper way to cook fish? Anybody dreaming of the perfect stage who doesn’t want to hear what each of these leaders has to say about food and dining right now? Many of our readers followed our play-by-play from Gastronomika on Twitter, but we took away so much from our journey to Spain that we had to devote an entire issue to what we saw, heard, and ate.

Gastronomika was … maybe Juan Mari Arzak said it best: “we’re all a little sick of foie,” which must have accounted for the heavy emphasis on vegetarian and “pescetarian” dishes, dashi (from the New York delegation), and oh-so many silicon molds, extractions and distillations. Certainly there was a great deal of experiential cuisine: the provocation of certain irrepressible waves of emotion (such as nostalgia), that are sparked by a diner’s journey or experience with a dish..........continue

Ferran - The Inside Story of El Bulli and the Man who Reinvented Food by Colman Andrews

Though I didn't get a chance to read the entire book, I didn't need to because El Bulli is already an inspiration to me. I was able to identify and relate to the authors stories about Ferran Adria and how he revolutionize an entire country (Spain) and the world. I saw this first hand in my very first visit to Barcelona in 2005. I was amaze that the talk of town was about F-O-O-D. I was further blown away when I visited the local restaurants. Vale!

Every restaurant was unlike the other and they each had some culinary innovation to offer and a story. I was like a kid in a candy store. Each and every restaurant was entertaining my palate and my other senses. Tapas Porn at its best! My first spanish tapas restaurant HARO was a reflection of innovation and forward thinking happening in Spain. HARO for me was to represent  Spain in present day in art, techniques, and passion.  As the author Andrew says in his book....

"Its amazing how Ferran has helped make 'chef' a desireable vocation in Spain. Kids use to dream of becoming a singer or soccer player or race car driver but now add 'chef' to the list".  

I embarked in that calling by starting a tapas restaurant in 2006.  Pretty soon I will be launching my first cooking show in the coming weeks........

Chef "Xavi"  Cooking Show

coming soon......

Chef "Xavi"

I'm proud to say and to go record that I introduce Pintxos to Chicago in 2005. Everybody in the city thought they knew what they were. They will tell me there "skewers" right? Yeah right, try again......P-I-N-T-X-O-S. What is that-- Greek, no its Basque-Vasco! Pintxos are not hors d'oeuvres or a snack and please don't say "where's the beef". They are the delicacies of a chef's culinary creations and soul. Look at the following video to see culinary art miniaturize at its best or simply invite me to your house for a pintxo party. I will prepare the food you supply the wine!!!!!