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Ferran Adrià
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Ferran Adrià arrived at elBullirestaurante in 1983, following the advice of Fermí Puig, a regimental friend who had encouraged him to spend his month-long military service leave gaining professional experience. Little did Ferran imagine at the time that he would return a year later to stay, and that soon afterwards he would be at the helm of the restaurant with Juli Soler.
Through his creative skills and fully commitment to avant-garde cuisine, Ferran Adrià has clearly defined elBulli’s mission: to create a new language that would blaze new trails for others to follow, and to push the boundaries of the fine-dining experience.
Through it, he has succeeded in bringing about a paradigm shift in cuisine throughout the world and has given elBulli the status of legend in the history of gastronomy.
Through his creative skills and fully commitment to avant-garde cuisine, Ferran Adrià has clearly defined elBulli’s mission: to create a new language that would blaze new trails for others to follow, and to push the boundaries of the fine-dining experience.
Through it, he has succeeded in bringing about a paradigm shift in cuisine throughout the world and has given elBulli the status of legend in the history of gastronomy.
FERRAN ADRIÀ BIOGRAPHY
14 May 1962
Ferran Adrià Acosta was born in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, a province of Barcelona, Spain. He lived with his parents, Ginès, a plasterer, and Josefa, a housewife, and his brother Albert. He completed his basic education at Escola Casal dels Àngels in his home town and at Colegio de San Isidro, in the city of Barcelona. His passion was football, and he played for the Juventud de L’Hospitalet club until 1974 and Santa Eulàlia F.C. until 1980.
He had no interest at all in cooking during this period, which was typical for a boy of his age.
Ferran Adrià Acosta was born in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, a province of Barcelona, Spain. He lived with his parents, Ginès, a plasterer, and Josefa, a housewife, and his brother Albert. He completed his basic education at Escola Casal dels Àngels in his home town and at Colegio de San Isidro, in the city of Barcelona. His passion was football, and he played for the Juventud de L’Hospitalet club until 1974 and Santa Eulàlia F.C. until 1980.
He had no interest at all in cooking during this period, which was typical for a boy of his age.
1977-1982
In 1977, he enrolled at the Institut Mare de Déu de la Mercè, a college where he took a business course, a requisite that would enable him to take a degree in business administration at university.
For no particular reason, he abandoned his studies in 1980. Intending to earn money to pay for a holiday in Ibiza, he began his culinary career by chance when he took his first modest step by working as a dishwasher at Hotel Playafels, in Castelldefels, near L’Hospitalet.
Miquel Moy, the chef at the hotel restaurant and one of his father’s close friends, taught Ferran the basic culinary techniques. After a few months, now in 1981, he found work at Club Cala Leña, in Es Canà, Ibiza. He returned to Barcelona a few months later and took on different jobs in establishments such as El Suquet, Castell Arnau and Martinica. In 1982, he joined the prestigious Finisterre restaurant, where he remained until he was called up for military service on 2 July 1982.
In 1977, he enrolled at the Institut Mare de Déu de la Mercè, a college where he took a business course, a requisite that would enable him to take a degree in business administration at university.
For no particular reason, he abandoned his studies in 1980. Intending to earn money to pay for a holiday in Ibiza, he began his culinary career by chance when he took his first modest step by working as a dishwasher at Hotel Playafels, in Castelldefels, near L’Hospitalet.
Miquel Moy, the chef at the hotel restaurant and one of his father’s close friends, taught Ferran the basic culinary techniques. After a few months, now in 1981, he found work at Club Cala Leña, in Es Canà, Ibiza. He returned to Barcelona a few months later and took on different jobs in establishments such as El Suquet, Castell Arnau and Martinica. In 1982, he joined the prestigious Finisterre restaurant, where he remained until he was called up for military service on 2 July 1982.
1982-1983
From mid-1982 until late 1983, Ferran was stationed at the naval base in Cartagena, where he joined the admiral’s kitchen team and was later made head of the kitchen, giving him his first experience of responsibility. Taking the advice of a fellow Catalan recruit, who had been working at elBulli, he spent his month’s leave in the summer of 1983 at the Cala Montjoi restaurant. Afterwards, Ferran agreed to join the restaurant’s staff once he had completed his military service.
From mid-1982 until late 1983, Ferran was stationed at the naval base in Cartagena, where he joined the admiral’s kitchen team and was later made head of the kitchen, giving him his first experience of responsibility. Taking the advice of a fellow Catalan recruit, who had been working at elBulli, he spent his month’s leave in the summer of 1983 at the Cala Montjoi restaurant. Afterwards, Ferran agreed to join the restaurant’s staff once he had completed his military service.
1984-2011
After finishing his military service, Ferran worked from January to March 1984 at the San Marcos restaurant in Seville, and then joined the staff at elBulli in April 1984 as a chef de partie. With the departure of the head chef Jean-Paul Vinay, Ferran and Christian Lutaud were appointed joint head chefs by the manager, Juli Soler, on 1 November. Juli Soler encouraged Ferran to travel around France to learn about the world of fine-dining restaurants. He did internships in kitchens run by Georges Blanc and Jacques Pic. In October 1986, with the departure of Christian Lutaud, he became elBulli’s sole head chef.
From 1987, Ferran abandoned nouvelle cuisine-style dishes and pursued his own way of understanding cuisine. He began by using local ingredients, techniques and elaborations, and he gave them a new perspective from the point of view of haute cuisine. Until 1993, this ‘Mediterranean style’ defined elBulli cuisine, a style that would later become influential in the Catalan and Spanish cuisine of the time.
In 1990, elBulli S.L. was founded by partners Juli Soler and Ferran Adrià, which developed different lines and models of business.
elBulli S.L. would reinvest 20 per cent of its turnover in innovation. In fact, elBullirestaurante operated as the R&D department of a consultancy firm that offered services to the food and restaurant industry, but its commitment to innovation was always given priority over business. This model has allowed elBulli to maintain its radical nature.
In the early 1990s, a change took place in the cuisine offered by Ferran and elBullirestaurante. The ‘Mediterranean’ dishes were joined by a series of new concepts, elaborations, techniques and service formats, paving the way for the change that would take place in 1994. From then on, there would always be a series of elements that characterise the elBulli style.
In late 1987, Ferran and Juli divided the restaurant’s season into two parts: there would be six months of restaurant service and six months when the restaurant would be closed.
In the second half of the 1990s, there was a search for the ideal formula to set up a workshop, the first in the history of gastronomy. After trying out several locations, elBullitaller was established in Barcelona’s Carrer Portaferrisa in 2000. It was here that a model of innovation was established and gradually refined. During the six months when Barcelona was closed, rather than create a dish based on one idea, hundreds of ideas, concepts, techniques and elaborations would be considered, resulting in finished dishes and menus during the six months at elBulli. Moreover, all the variables and resources of the process were subjected to a creative audit that would provide a high level of efficiency and effectiveness. Ultimately, this would be the determining factor for elBulli’s creative longevity.
Ferran married Isabel Pérez in 2002. The couple have no children.
After finishing his military service, Ferran worked from January to March 1984 at the San Marcos restaurant in Seville, and then joined the staff at elBulli in April 1984 as a chef de partie. With the departure of the head chef Jean-Paul Vinay, Ferran and Christian Lutaud were appointed joint head chefs by the manager, Juli Soler, on 1 November. Juli Soler encouraged Ferran to travel around France to learn about the world of fine-dining restaurants. He did internships in kitchens run by Georges Blanc and Jacques Pic. In October 1986, with the departure of Christian Lutaud, he became elBulli’s sole head chef.
From 1987, Ferran abandoned nouvelle cuisine-style dishes and pursued his own way of understanding cuisine. He began by using local ingredients, techniques and elaborations, and he gave them a new perspective from the point of view of haute cuisine. Until 1993, this ‘Mediterranean style’ defined elBulli cuisine, a style that would later become influential in the Catalan and Spanish cuisine of the time.
In 1990, elBulli S.L. was founded by partners Juli Soler and Ferran Adrià, which developed different lines and models of business.
elBulli S.L. would reinvest 20 per cent of its turnover in innovation. In fact, elBullirestaurante operated as the R&D department of a consultancy firm that offered services to the food and restaurant industry, but its commitment to innovation was always given priority over business. This model has allowed elBulli to maintain its radical nature.
In the early 1990s, a change took place in the cuisine offered by Ferran and elBullirestaurante. The ‘Mediterranean’ dishes were joined by a series of new concepts, elaborations, techniques and service formats, paving the way for the change that would take place in 1994. From then on, there would always be a series of elements that characterise the elBulli style.
In late 1987, Ferran and Juli divided the restaurant’s season into two parts: there would be six months of restaurant service and six months when the restaurant would be closed.
In the second half of the 1990s, there was a search for the ideal formula to set up a workshop, the first in the history of gastronomy. After trying out several locations, elBullitaller was established in Barcelona’s Carrer Portaferrisa in 2000. It was here that a model of innovation was established and gradually refined. During the six months when Barcelona was closed, rather than create a dish based on one idea, hundreds of ideas, concepts, techniques and elaborations would be considered, resulting in finished dishes and menus during the six months at elBulli. Moreover, all the variables and resources of the process were subjected to a creative audit that would provide a high level of efficiency and effectiveness. Ultimately, this would be the determining factor for elBulli’s creative longevity.
Ferran married Isabel Pérez in 2002. The couple have no children.
30 July 2011
elBullirestaurante closed to become elBullifoundation.
elBullirestaurante closed to become elBullifoundation.
2012
The sad news of Juli Soler’s uncurable illness forced a rethink of the project created by the Soler-Adrià partnership.
Without the invaluable assistance provided by Juli, Ferran would take on the consultancy work and image projects alone. At the same time, elBullifoundation launched its knowledge and innovation projects.
The sad news of Juli Soler’s uncurable illness forced a rethink of the project created by the Soler-Adrià partnership.
Without the invaluable assistance provided by Juli, Ferran would take on the consultancy work and image projects alone. At the same time, elBullifoundation launched its knowledge and innovation projects.
7 February 2013
This date marks the founding of elBullifoundation, a private, family-based foundation led by Ferran Adrià and Juli Soler.
This date marks the founding of elBullifoundation, a private, family-based foundation led by Ferran Adrià and Juli Soler.
