OVIEDO, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Spanish chef Jose Andres arrives to the Campoamor Theatre ahead of the 'Princesa de Asturias' Awards Ceremony 2021 on October 22, 2021 in Oviedo, Spain. (Photo by Samuel de Roman/Getty Images)
Food - Drink
The Avant Garde Dessert That Left José Andrés Stunned
BY AUTUMN SWIERS
In an episode of his new series "José Andrés and Family in Spain," the titular chef visits Barcelona for a meal at Disfrutar, a restaurant that climbed the ranks to the number five spot on The World's 50 Best List and picked up two Michelin stars along the way. One dessert in particular left Andrés stunned during his visit.
The Disfrutar team designed an interactive dessert that involves a table packed with secret compartments and drawers, filled with boxes of sweets like cotton candy flowers, pine nut cookies, and raspberry marshmallows on a bed of rose petals. The table also contained other visual delights, like dry ice and a rainbow of fresh fruit.
Disfrutar debuted the table in 2021, and it serves as a reimagination of everyday concepts, as chef Eduard Xatruch explains: "To be creative it is not necessary to use techniques or unfamiliar products [...] you can even be creative with just one almond." Andrés called the presentation "immersive art" and gave the team a standing ovation.