Drawn into the world of gastronomy by his brilliant brother Ferran, Albert Adrià has formed an unbreakable alliance with him for over twenty years. Initially overseeing the pastry department, Albert gradually emerged as a creative force in his own right, spearheading innovative ventures that still keep on the gastronomic revolution.
Albert Adrià was born in the working-class neighborhood of Santa Eulalia in L'Hospitalet in 1969. His parents, Ginès and Josefa, a plasterer and homemaker respectively, instilled in him an interest in home cooking. However, it was his brother Ferran who introduced him to the culinary profession.
In 1985, Albert left his studies and joined the staff of “ElBulli”, lacking any formal culinary training. After a two-year apprenticeship in various sections of the restaurant, his focus shifted to pastry. His knowledge and passion for the craft grew exponentially, becoming all-encompassing. During the winter months when the restaurant was closed, he devoted himself to furthering his training at prestigious pastry shops such as “Turull” in Terrassa, “Escribà” in Barcelona, and “Totel” in Elda, alongside the master Francisco Torreblanca. He also completed a stage in Paris at Guy Savoy's restaurant.
In 1997, the paths of the two brothers briefly diverged for the first time. Albert left “ElBulli” for half a season after a decade of symbiotic collaboration and dedicated himself to writing his first book: "Los postres de elBulli," published in October 1998 after a year and a half of work. The book was acclaimed as the best pastry book of the year. Concurrently, he joined the research and development team initially based at elBulliCatering and later moved to a new location in the heart of Barcelona, near the Boqueria Market, starting from 2000.
Alongside Oriol Castro and his brother Ferran, Albert was tasked with designing the menu for the following season, following a fashion collection-like model, an unprecedented approach. He then took charge of “elBulliTaller”, which quickly became an inexhaustible source of technical and conceptual innovation, driving worldwide culinary creativity. While all eyes and attention in the gastronomy world were focused on Roses, Albert never stopped learning, completing stages at renowned restaurants such as Michel Bras, Heston Blumenthal, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Martín Berasategui, and Charlie Trotter, among others.
Albert Adrià's personality gradually became more independent from that of his brother. While he was less inclined toward gustatory provocation and more drawn to playfulness and enjoyment, he exhibited a strong entrepreneurial spirit. In 2006, along with childhood friend Juan Martínez, he opened “Inopia Classic Bar” in Barcelona. The establishment aimed to popularize haute cuisine in a prêt-à-porter version, pioneering the concept of a "gastrobar." Three years before its closure in 2011, Albert permanently left “ElBulli”, but remained connected to it through the elBulli Galaxy.
In July 2010, Albert closed “Inopia” and embarked on a global project with the Iglesias brothers, bringing together various restaurants and gastronomic concepts under the name “elBarri”. One by one, they opened “Tickets”, “Pakta”, “Bodega 1900”, “41º”, “Niño Viejo”, “Hoja Santa” and “Enigma”, ranging from mixology to Nikkei cuisine. While his collaboration with his brother continued at the elBulliFoundation established in 2013, of which he is a member of the board of directors, in the same year, Albert published "Las tapas de Tickets," featuring emblematic recipes from the early years of the restaurant.
Albert Adrià's creativity found expression in constantly conceiving and implementing new projects. In 2015, he ventured into a new frontier with “Heart Ibiza”, a venue that defied traditional restaurant categorization. Collaborating with Cirque du Soleil, he explored the intersection of gastronomy and entertainment. He also expanded his endeavors internationally. In 2016, he launched the pop-up restaurant "50 Days by Albert Adrià" at the five-star Café Royal hotel in London, which later became Cakes & Bubbles, a new pastry and sparkling wine space, in 2018. The same year saw the release of "Tickets Evolution," the second and final recipe book for the restaurant.
In 2019, Albert reunited with his brother Ferran and chef José Andrés to shape the Mercado Little Spain in the heart of Manhattan. However, the pandemic took a toll, resulting in the dissolution of the elBarri group, with only “Enigma” surviving and reopening in 2022 with a profoundly reimagined form. Albert now focuses on writing two new books, "Vegetales a todo color" and "Candy," as well as prestigious collaborations such as the one with Alain Ducasse. Together, they co-starred in the pop-up restaurant ADMO, located in front of the Eiffel Tower. For 100 days, starting from November 10, 2021, the two most influential schools of world cuisine, French classicism and Spanish avant-garde, converged for the first time. Currently, Albert is fully devoted to “Enigma” and various research and development projects with food companies.
