Black sausage croquettes. A specialty of the house?
Presented with pear and vanilla jam. I wanted a fruit that wasn’t too sweet, but that cleansed the palate and was fresh.
And it’s just one of the tasting dishes that will be offered at Serenalla.
The idea is to highlight Andorran cuisine and present Borda del Pi, which has been redefined as a space for private events.
Was that the challenge in becoming executive chef on board?
And consolidate the concept of a private club. We recently joined the Andorra Convention Bureau with the idea of getting closer to the corporate world.
What role does gastronomy play in this project?
It is the strong point. At events for 60 or 70 people, we do our own cooking, highlighting local produce. For larger events we credit caterers.
Have they given him freedom?
totally I am classic, but with an avant-garde touch, I like to play but within the framework of tradition. I consider myself an advocate for the producers and chefs here. If we don’t do it, who will? In the end we are a boat and that is what we have to represent.
How does this concept translate into the kitchen?
In a dish of mine there must be at least two textures, cold and hot, sour or sweet. For example, another taste will be a hot dog with Cal Jordi sausage, with Lombardy cabbage, caramelized onions and pear aioli, and we’ve smoked the garlic to give it an enveloping touch.
What do you miss in Andorran cuisine?
A lot has changed in the last 15 years. We have starred restaurants, there is a varied offer, from Mexican to Japanese, and it’s not bad, but we don’t lose our identity. I miss the restaurant of the godmother who took care of the menu with her stews of the day. There are few of these left.
Do we focus on the exotic?
And in the complicated. We are puzzled, when a simple dish based on quality products… how good it is! We offer a salad of eight tomatoes of different types, with oil and salt. And there you have it!
You had not done tourism?
I didn’t choose cooking because of the stigma attached to it, but I’m creative, I’ve always liked it and I come from a family of great cooks, like my grandmother.
What dish do you remember from grandma?
He made the best macaroni in the world. He didn’t put the typical minced meat, he did it with ribs, pieces of breast, chicken, a good stir-fry and a final touch that no one has deciphered.
