Roca runs the restaurant, which has two Michelin stars, with his younger brothers Josep and Jordi, and together they aim to create a unique gastronomic experience. The chef has long sought out extraordinary cooking techniques and a particular passion of his has been to explore the links between aromas, flavours and perfume, almost as if he was a sorcerer brewing ingredients for a spell.
One extreme example of this is how Roca has revitalised ancient ingredients such as edible foil papers of gold, silver and copper (said to lower cholesterol), which were commonly used in the sixth-century Persian Empire, and today fill and decorate some of his specialities. Along with the wine chosen by Josep and the sweet creations of Jordi, Joan Roca’s dishes enable diners to appreciate the sensory quality of food.
A visit to Restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, which opened last year and is set in a beautiful stone townhouse nestled amongst lush herbal and botanical gardens, requires a willingness to suspend the antiquated notion that eating is a basic fundamental of life, something we do in order to survive. There is little about a lunch or dinner here that can be compared to any relationship or notion that eating is for living.
What or who inspired you to become a chef?
Firstly, genealogical heritage has bestowed my brothers, sommelier Josep and pastry whiz Jordi, and I with Epicurean parental bloodlines. My earliest memories are of my mother Montserrat in the family kitchen. However, my mother and father didn’t just cook for the family; they prepared dishes for customers at their traditional Catalan restaurant. It is of no surprise that all three of us have ended up in the restaurant business. After attending cooking school in Girona and France, my two brothers and I opened El Celler de Can Roca, right next door to the family restaurant, El Restaurante de Can Roca. At the very beginning, in 1986, my restaurant was cradled into a very constricted space and I could barely turn around in the kitchen. The decor was modest with no frills.
While lots of restaurants can turn out a good meal or two, few can match the Rocas’ colossal portfolio of fine food and wines. What has led you to your success today?
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