Signatures from Spain

By Ayesha Singh

The Sunday Standarard 15th Dec 2013 10:42:56 AM

Astellar resume decked up with names of culinary giants like Hotel Condes de Barcelona, Hotel Read’s, Andoni Luis Aduriz’s Mugaritz and other restaurants have helped Andreu Genestra, visiting chef at the Sevilla at The Claridges, come closer to realising his food dream.

 The dream that became a reality when he was conferred with the Michelin Star a few years ago has encouraged him to continue dreaming, an extension of which is his latest offering at Sevilla. These are his signatures that, he says, defines him in a nutshell.

With this opportunity, he hopes to do justice to the quintessential flavours of Spain, one that he is most familiar with. ‘‘It’s a chance for me to connect with connoisseurs of fine food in this part of the city and I am working day and night to appease their tastes,” says Genestra, adding, ‘‘I knew I was going to work with a team of young chefs at Sevilla, so I decided to introduce some of my most complex recipes. I wanted to see how well these chefs would be able to pull off the task and I was rather surprised. It also proved to be a great learning lesson for them. In complexity lies great perfection and I wanted to impart that knowledge to my friends here in the kitchen,” says the chef.

Out of the variety he brings to the table, there is one dish that he is most proud of and that is the Black Cod with aromatic herbs crust, cream of lentils and sautéed apple with cardamom. “The fish that is cooked beautifully is set with a top thick cream of lentils, making it healthy and appetising,” he says.

Some of the other offerings include Coconut Rice, Crab, Anchovy and Kuwaity Black Lemon, Shrimp Stew and Squid with Sweet Mustard and Pickled Eggplant flavoured with Sweet Herbal Liqueur, Coconut Rice with Lemon and Black Vegetable Tartar, Ceviche of Gilthead Bream with Gilthead Bream Confit cooked in Josper Oven served with Mallorcan Trempo Salad and Nuts, Dover Sole Confit with Green Seaweed Sauce, Tumbet Cannelloni and Tomato Sauce, Vanilla Sponge, Vanilla Cream, Lychees and Iced Raspberry Caviar and a lot more. “The above are good products plus good techniques plus good knowledge of food, put together to create the perfect signature dish and I would love for you to come back for seconds and thirds,” he says. 

The menu is on offer till December 22.