El Celler de Can Roca awarded as second best restaurant in the world for second consecutive year

From http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners/el-celler-de-can-roca/ (in English)


[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="461"] The Roca brothers, owners of El Celler de Can Roca (image from the restaurant's website)[/caption]

Girona-based restaurant El Celler de Can Roca has maintained the #2 position already achieved last year in the ranking of best restaurants in the world, according to the website The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. With this distinction, the Catalan family-run restaurant, that also has three Michelin stars, remains on the elite of world's gastronomy. El Celler de Can Roca has been ranked right after restaurant Noma, from Denmark, which has remained on top of the list for third consecutive year.

Last year we were fortunate enough to taste their exquisite creations. Here there is a sample of what we were offered :-)

[gallery columns="4"]

 

Singapore entrepreneurs travel to Catalonia to learn from its gastronomy

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/07/21/catalunya/1311275284.html (in Spanish)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="432" caption="Restaurant Can Jubany (image from Restaurant Can Jubany website)"][/caption]

A group of 20 entrepreneurs and directives from Singaporean companies have traveled to Catalonia in order to learn about its food industry and its gastronomy. This visit has been arranged by the government of Singapore, that helps companies to learn from innovation done by other countries, and Catalonia has been the chosen one in the food sector. The Singaporean delegation has visited companies such Europastry, Gallina Blanca and Damm, and they have been surprised by the high level of robotization in the production process of the latter.  They have also visited the baker and chocolate expert Enric Rovira, as well as restaurants Via Veneto, Can Jubany, and the new foundation created by El Bulli owner Ferran Adrià, Fundació Alícia, a research centre focusing on technological innovation in kitchen science and the dissemination of agronourishment and gastronomic heritage.

Catalonia on new website Foods from Spain

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4478719,00.html (in English)

A new website, Foods from Spain, has been presented in Madrid's IFEMA, on the XXV edition of the Salón de Gourmets. Foods from Spain offers information in English to food professionals located abroad, such as importers, chefs, distributors, cooking schools and media. Catalonia has its specific page on the website, that can be visited by clicking on Foods from Spain - Catalonia.

El Celler de Can Roca awarded as second best restaurant in the world

From http://www.acn.cat/acn/609884/Cultura/text/Celler-de-Can-Roca-El-Bulli-restaurant-Ferran-Adria-Restaurant-Magazine-Arzak.html (in Catalan)

Girona-based restaurant El Celler de Can Roca has climbed from #4 to #2 position in the ranking of best restaurants in the world, according to the website The World's 50 Best Restaurants. This distinction represents a new achivement for this Catalan family run restaurant after it was also recently awarded with the third Michelin star. El Celler de Can Roca has been ranked right after restaurant Noma, from Denmark, which has remained on top of the list for the second consecutive year. Joan Roca, chef of El Celler de Can Roca, has declared that this award represents a new international recognition for Catalan cuisine. After the success of Ferran Adrià and El Bulli in Roses, and the late Santi Santamaria and El racó de can Fabes in Sant Celoni among others, El Celler de Can Roca is definitely taking the relay as the present day leading resturant in Catalonia.

Enjoy your meal! Bon profit!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="596"] Welcome page at El Celler de Can Roca internet site[/caption]

 

Top Catalan chef Santi Santamaria dies in Singapore

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/life-style/catalan-chef-santi-santamaria-7-michelin-stars-dies-53 (in English)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="440"] Santi Santamaría (Image from Adostiempos - Boletín de Cultura Gastronómica)[/caption]

7-Michelin star Catalan chef Santi Santamaria died suddenly at 53 in his restuarant in Singapore, possibly by a heart attack. A passionate supporter of traditional catalan cuisine, he started his way to stardom in 1981 when he transformed his family restaurant in Sant Celoni into the today 3-Michelin star El Racó de Can Fabes. He also got 2 stars for his restaurant Santceloni (Madrid), 1 for Tierra (Toledo) and 1 for Evo (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat). He also recently opened a restaurant in Dubai called Ossiano, and the one in Singapore, Santi, where he found his death. In the recent years he had a bitter controversy with another stellar Catalan chef, Ferran Adrià, with whom he clashed because of their opposite cooking approach. All the well-known Catalan chefs, Adrià included, have mourned his untimely death. Adrià has also scheduled a tribute to Santamaria on February 21, 2010, in the Girona's Fòrum Gastronòmic.