Elisa Menendez
ONE of Spain’s most iconic chefs is set to cook up a storm in the UK.
Albert Adria, former co-owner of the five-time winning World’s Best Restaurant El Bulli, has opened his first permanent restaurant outside Spain.
The legendary pastry chef joins fellow Spanish chefs David Munoz, Eneko Atxa and Martin Berasategui in London, with his new neoclassical eatery.
Called Cakes & Bubbles, it will only be serving up champagne and pastries.
Housed in the luxury five-star hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street, Cakes & Bubbles is a spin-off from La Dolca – the fantasy desert space at his restaurant Tickets, in Barcelona.
The choice of London for his first non-Spanish venture was an obvious one for gastronomic revolutionary Adria, who describes the city as ‘the great capital of the world’.
“You’re not going to find anywhere in the world like this, London was the perfect venue – a gift,” said 49-year-old Adria.
“I have been working 33 years towards such a project.”
Undoubtedly, the star of the menu is the chef’s world famous Tickets’ cheesecake – a trompe l’oeil hazelnut and white chocolate coulommiers cheese wheel.
Creating a guilt-free haven, Cakes & Bubbles’ treats have less added sugar than usual, no colourants, icing or glitter and are based on seasonal produce to emulate Japan ‘where their desserts reflect the different seasons of the year’.
Each dessert takes the team of seven three hours to create batches of 150 treats.
Other patisserie winners include the ‘air-pancake’ finished with caramelised banana, Thai grapefruit and papaya salad, frozen coconut and chocolate flower and a strawberry and chocolate marshmallow After Eight.
