Spanish chef sees possibility of hansik

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Jordi Roca, 32, the youngest of three brothers of the three Michelin star-awarded El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, is participating in the Seoul Gourmet 2010 where he presented dishes from the famed restaurant with a touch of hansik, or Korean food.

Roca is known for "perfumed dishes," maximizing the effect of the aroma of food.

"People see food first and then smell it. The aroma stimulates the brain and it helps us remember the food," the chef told The Korea Times.

He had no experienced of Korean food in Spain and curiosity led him to join the gourmet event here.

One of the dishes he devised also added hints of his experience in Korea. "I saw charcoal yesterday and I thought it would go well with my sliced lamb dish, which is cooked with whiskey. The wooden aroma of smoked lamb will suit with the scent of charcoal," he said.

His passion toward food and cooking was ablaze despite the unfamiliarity ㅡ on the first day in Korea, he almost cried and sought glasses of water when he accidentally ate too much gochujang, hot pepper paste. However, he still wanted to eat "everything" during his visit.

“The fish of Korea are much different than those of Spain and I want to try them,” he said.

The Spanish chef also showed a strong interest in doenjang, fermented soybean sauce. "The taste was deep and profound with a broad possibility in cooking. I was also impressed by the different thickness of each paste," Roca said.

Kimchi and jangajji (pickled pepper) also attracted Roca’s attention. “I want to introduce kimchi to my restaurant in Spain. I will give it a try with various ingredients to find the best match ㅡ as of now, I think basil will go well with it,” he said.

Roca said Spain has a long culture of culinary and characteristic local food, leading to superb chefs and star-studded restaurants such Ferran Adria of El Bulli.

“Each country has different traditions and ingredients, thus they have to approach globalization of their food in different ways. I think the most important thing is to find distinct characteristics of the food,” he said. “I think Korea has already taken the first step with its rich culture and tradition.”