George Mathias
ROBERT De Niro was treated to a Spanish spread at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz restaurant in Madrid.
The 78-year-old was served a show-stopping meal by Michelin-starred Spanish chefs Quique Dacosta, Carles Tejedor, Joan Roca and Martín Berasategui, as well as Argentinean Mauro Colagreco.
The Taxi Driver star spent more than three hours in the royal suite along with partner Tiffany Chen, even slicing jamon himself and requesting to dip bread in the plate of kokotxas (cod cheeks) prepared by Basque culinary genius, Martin Berasategui.
Photo: Madrid Fusion press release.
Staff reported he was in very good spirits, quipping once he sat down: “Give me everything leftover to go.”
During the meal, he got up several times to photograph the chefs’ plating, apparently showing great interest in the produce used.
The chefs pulled out all the stops, serving, among other things, white asparagus and truffle contessa by Joan Roca, beetroot with Osciètre caviar sauce by Mauro Colagreco and caramelised mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie gras, spring onion and green apple from Martín Berasategui accompanied by a unique Spanish Rioja: Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia, Blanco Gran Reserva 1964.
De Niro said: “This is not a meal, this is something incredible that I would recommend to anyone who had the chance to experience it.”
Celebrity chef Jose Andres was due to also cook for the Hollywood star, however he canceled due to commitments with his NGO World Central Kitchen, which is currently providing meals to refugees on the Poland-Ukraine border.
The 78-year-old was gifted the exclusive experience for promoting the 2022 Madrid fusion fair.
READ MORE:
- Travel Spain: How the pandemic saw Madrid transform into a luxury tourism destination
- INTERVIEW: Meet Quique Dacosta, Spain’s Michelin-starred chef behind the new gourmet experience at Madrid’s Mandarin Oriental Ritz
