Spain is the new France
EBRU ERKE
The 23rd edition of the Madrid Fusión showcased the brilliance of Spanish cuisine where chefs highlighted the quiet revolution in their culinary traditions and boldly announced that they had claimed France’s position as the culinary leader.
France, the father of haute cuisine, is on the verge of losing its crown to Spain...
“We shouldn’t chase after a revolution or become obsessed with it. Revolutions aren’t something you plan; they just happen,” Ferran Adrià states from the stage at Madrid Fusión, where the 30th anniversary of the Spanish culinary revolution is being celebrated. As one of the revolution’s pioneers, Adrià comes to the fore with the transformative impact of his liquid-filled olives, which were encased in a delicate membrane, created at his restaurant El Bulli. This innovation made a significant mark on the culinary world and played a key role in launching the movement.
In its 23rd edition, Madrid Fusión brought together the heavyweights of the gastronomy world, mostly from Spain, to discuss the evolution of Spanish cuisine. José Carlos Capel, the founder of Madrid Fusión, explained that labels like “molecular cuisine” or “new Spanish cuisine” didn’t quite work. It was a revolution without a name. In a country like France, with no strong gourmet culinary tradition, it was a revolution without storming the castle.
Publicist Toni Sagarra offered one of the most insightful remarks on the topic: “The true essence of revolutions lies in their outcomes and the ability to evolve. This revolution has established us as world leaders in haute cuisine. What was once France’s is now Spain’s, and this is an undeniable fact.”
No, don’t assume Toni Sagarra is overstating things. A brief tour of Madrid and a few restaurants I visited reinforced this idea for me. I think Spanish chefs who embrace innovation truly have a completely different aura. By working scientifically and avoiding rigid adherence to any single approach, they’ve managed to expand their horizons and reach this level of success.
Since 2003, this event has taken place every January in Madrid, bringing together gastronomy professionals from across the world in different disciplines. Madrid Fusión is regarded as a platform that influences the future of culinary arts. It’s where the best chefs in the world not only showcase their latest techniques but also lead the way in creating new trends.
As a young chef, you watch the chef you admire demonstrate the dish they created that year on stage. They not only provide the recipe but also share their approach to preparing the dish. They discuss new cooking techniques, how they use local ingredients, innovations in sustainability and much more. It’s hard not to feel inspired.
I spent three full days at Madrid Fusión, and not a single minute was wasted. On the main stage, where the conversations I just mentioned took place, world stars talked about the steps they have taken and the dishes they have prepared in the past year. In another stage, called “Dreams,” expectations and predictions for the future were explored, with discussions ranging from agriculture to new culinary trends.
Juan Francisco Delgado, Vice President of the European Innovation Foundation, shared his insight: “In five years, farmers will be different. There will be more women in the field, with greater emphasis on intelligence, sustainability and efficiency.” This led to the conclusion that “Farmers who don’t adopt technology will disappear.”
Although this “Dreams” stage may not have been as packed with spectators as some of the others, I truly appreciated the discussions held there. Is the tasting menu becoming obsolete? Are we returning to à la carte menus? What has the greatest impact on restaurant bookings — newspaper articles, social media influencers, or word-of-mouth? While there weren’t definitive answers to these questions, it was incredibly valuable to hear the conversations and stay informed on the current trends.
Another stage was dedicated to patisserie events. I was particularly intrigued by Richard Hart's talk, the owner of Hart Bageri, a leading brand in artisan baking (which he founded in partnership with Noma’s chef René Redzepi). As he kneaded rye bread on stage, he shared that he had relocated from Copenhagen to Mexico City, where he was opening an ambitious bakery despite the challenge of not finding the quality of wheat he desired. A key discussion on the patisserie stage centered around ice cream, with chefs now viewing it as more than just a dessert. They enhance the main dish with savory ice creams made from unexpected ingredients.
On one side, there were constant competitions happening, such as for the best hotel breakfast, the best ham croquettes, the best apple dessert, the best meat tartare, the best cheese snack and, believe it or not, the best “breadcrumb” — a cake-biscuit-like pastry used in desserts.
At Madrid Fusión, there’s an intense race for product promotion alongside these events. The atmosphere feels like a fair, with dry-aged tuna belly sliced thin and served to you, macarons made with local cheese and honey, or someone guiding you through their country’s terroir with native grapes. In short, it was a truly enriching, eye-opening, and flavorful event. I highly recommend it to every professional in the industry.
Chefs’ highlights
- Avoid being rigid. There could be many facts, but your style shouldn’t be set in stone; it can evolve.
- A great sardine is better than a mediocre lobster.
- The soul doesn’t think. It’s the mind that thinks. The heart doesn’t think either. What truly matters is what you do with your heart and soul.
- Haute cuisine is built on two principles: Quality ingredients and proper technique.