Adrià began his career at the three-Michelin-starred elBulli as a line cook in 1984 and moved up to executive chef less than two years later, transforming the small restaurant in Roses, Spain, into a household name and a culinary phenomenon. Though the restaurant officially closed July 30, 2011, elBulli is still present via its foundation and a host of other, grander projects in the works, including a museum, a huge culinary database, and a series of books.
The Gastronomy Congress is sponsored by Estrella Damm, a Barcelona-based beer that boasts Adrià as its gastronomic ambassador. Last year, the brand organized a similar event featuring the award-winning toque that was held at the SLS Hotel South Beach. However, this year's congress is much larger and is open to the media and those outside the restaurant industry.
"This year, we wanted to invite our customers, the press, and foodies to come and understand what the mind of these great chefs is all about. We wanted real foodies to learn and to see how great it is what these guys can do with food and how they think about and conceptualize everything that has to do with food," said Floris van Neerrijnen, the brand manager for Estrella Damm.
Tickets, which can be purchased for $75 via gilt.com, include tapas prepared by the Miami Culinary Institute, Estrella Damm beer, and a copy of Albert Adrià’s latest recipe book, Tapas: Tickets Cuisine. The three-hour event will begin at 6 p.m. with food and beverages and will be followed by Adrià and Garcia's lecture.
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Last year's Estrella Damm-sponsored presentation starring the elder Adrià was titled "Creativity in the Art of Food." It was attended by a who's who of Miami chefs, including Todd Erickson (Haven), Aaron Brooks (Edge Steak & Bar), Timon Balloo (Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill), Dena Marino (MC Kitchen), Bradley Kilgore (Alter), Sean Brasel (Meat Market), and Michael Pirolo (Macchialina).
We can only imagine what this year's star-studded Gastronomy Congress holds in store for foodies and chefs alike.
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