The passing of knowledge is a crucial role of a chef. Andoni Luis Aduriz will carry it out in his own way at MACC, the Madrid Culinary Campus. "Success has a B-side, composed of mistakes and failures. I flunked out of hotel school, but creativity can be taught.”
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There are the great chefs. And then there is Andoni Luis Aduriz, a Basque outlier who shines as much for the originality of his research as for his depth of thought and human qualities. In addition to Mugaritz, where so many young people have already passed through, he adds MACC to his portfolio (Madrid Culinary Campus), a training institution he leads along with his master Ferran Adrià. A mentor in innovation and creativity, he will also hold a "Master Mugaritz" with his team this year. "There are places that conceal fears and places that make them an extra ingredient," he says.
“"When I started out, there were stories that some places would hide their recipe collection and that some dishes would even be prepared by different people so that no one would have access to the complete recipe. I was lucky enough to come across El Bulli, where everything was shown in real time, especially the concept. More than the subject matter or technique, sometimes it's the storytelling and learning what needs to be told that counts. I do the same, with a lot of respect and, above of all, enthusiasm."
"Caviar"
"We can label ourselves as creative individuals, mentors, whatever we want; then there is reality. A leader may not have put himself forward as such, but so many see that he has interesting characteristics and follow him. We have 25 years for the project at Mugaritz; I became aware of the impact we have only when I began to cross paths around the world with hundreds of people who were convinced that meeting us had been a great help.”
@JAVIER COLMENERO
"It is human nature. Everyone likes to feel loved. The fact that people greet me and hug me on the street fills my heart and makes me grow as a person more than money in the bank. I feel very fortunate. What we do is inspire people. We want them to want to know more. There’s a technical aspect of cooking, and just like assembling a piece of furniture, it can be worked out. Then there is more – an aspect which is not found in books – and we want to teach exactly that. We also want to show that success has a B-side, made up of our mistakes. That we can go unnoticed, but if we unite and cooperate it is possible to overcome ourselves. I flunked out of hotel school and had to repeat the year, changed classrooms, and got placed with two new kids who were very motivated. It was pure luck. I always ask: Who are you sitting next to in life? Mugaritz has always tried to surround itself with creative people."
Octopus in different textures - Mugaritz's new dish
"I know these students will teach me a lot. I will help them find their own path and their own formula for success. I always say to the kids who come through Mugaritz: don't forget that your goals may change, but you must always stay true to yourself. You can be happy even by selling beers at the stadium. This exercise in sincerity is the real goal. We can provide all the tools, but each person must know what recipe he wants to create with his life."
"Creativity is a glimpse. There are innate talents as well as learned talents. It is only with language that you seal the future or free will. Creativity can be taught because a creative way of looking at things can be transmitted. We are "rara avis", a project that, according to the logic that rules the world, should not succeed, but instead is very successful. We are a bug in the system into which we have willingly slipped. We have always lived on the edge. Risk and hardship are the waters in which we swim. The enemy is indifference. We will not move outside the usual currents.
Source: Siete Canibales
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Cover photo: @EFE, Rodrigo Jiménez
