Gastón Acurio, Josean Martínez Alija, Helena Rizzo, Marcos Morán, Rodolfo Guzmán, Daniel Humm, Matias Perdomo, Alexandre Couillon, Jorge Vallejo, Enrique Olvera, Paco Pérez, Mauro Colagreco, Jacob Torreblanca, Alejandra Hurtado.
It’s raining… just as this editor’s letter is getting off the ground. Music a friend, Alonso Arreola, has given me is playing. An autumn Saturday is a witness to the words set down to describe the content of the 224 pages of this magazine, a magazine whose aim is purely to promote gastronomy as a tool to foster culture. A team from Barcelona has worked its tail off. A way of doing things. A work method. Endless sleepless nights. Loads of WhatsApps. The result? Apicius. You have it in your hands. Enjoy it. And, if possible, enjoy it as much as we did putting it together. I have never enjoyed such good company on a long journey. Never. Seriously. And what a journey! Many were the kilometres travelled but, my goodness, what rewards! Chile, Mexico, Brazil, France, Peru, Italy, the USA and, of course, Spain, make up this sumptuous feast of knowledge, of contemporaneity, of know-how… in a nutshell, of culture. I was going to say something like “quintessential” but it seemed way too tacky. It has been a treat to share so many moments with the people who appear in this issue of Apicius. From the first to the last. Rodolfo Guzman’s kindness, Alejandra Hurtado’s elegance, Alexandre Couillon’s gratitude, Daniel Humm’s musicality, Gastón Acurio’s discourse, Ángel León’s hyperactivity, Helena Rizzo and Daniel Redondo’s mutual understanding, the connection with Matías Perdomo, laughter and Enrique Olvera, Jorge Vallejo’s enthusiasm, Paco Pérez’s tranquillity, Mauro Colagreco’s spirit, shouting with Marcos Morán every time a goal was scored during the European Cup, Josean Alija’s maturity, Jacob Torreblanca’s delicacy…. They have all imbued this 19th issue with a magic that will be hard to repeat. With their generosity, they have made it possible to put together a magazine (a logbook) about what is happening today in the world of gastronomy. From a fifth-generation establishment to a restaurant that has only been open a few months. From avant-garde creations to traditional dishes. But always, always, Signature Cuisine.
Emotions, sensations and shivers. We love cooking and, ever since that November back in 2003, still believe it to be a social tool, an identifying tool and a deeply cultural tool. Once again we state in writing that we do not believe in boundaries when it comes to gastronomy. We believe in the soul of cooking: in cooks - wherever they come from. Those who must fight to find the best produce, the right suppliers to make their business successful; those who lose hours of sleep; those whose arms bear the scars of the stove; those who are mischievous and let their imaginations run wild; those who, logically, have become icons in a modern society since their work is seen as a way of leaving a record of what happens in the world. But cooking is much more than the human response to the need for nourishment, it even goes beyond the quest for happiness. It constitutes a powerful transformational tool and can change the world’s food, thanks to the combined work of cooks, food producers and diners. It has stopped raining… It is the moment to ask ourselves… What should we think of those pessimists and sad souls who view cooking as something mechanical and lacking sensibility? To be honest, their days are numbered. No-one can shatter the illusion that we can change the world, or at least its habits, through this art form. The sky is the limit… And this show comes to an end.
Decidedly Apicius. Apicius and its content. Apicius and its photos. Apicius and Culture. Apicius and Gastronomy. Apicius… Gastronomy… Culture…