Dani García, top chef of Marbella: “ We try to move the people who eat in our restaurants and make them feel the essence of Andalucía”
Traditional tastes and avant-garde techniques. This is the successful formula that Dani Garcia has achieved at the cooker; this unequalled and enterprising Andalusian gastronomic ace is a well known public chef and a down to earth man from Marbella. Using his roots, he has been able to expand on them to the maximum and make them universal.
He made his first steps in La Cónsula, he trained with Berasetegui, and he excelled in Tragabuches (Ronda) where at 24 years old they sang his praises with a dazzling Michelin star. His later years were split between different projects: Calima, with the Meliá hotel chain, the Urban Formula One, and working for himself in La Moraga gastro tapas bars.
What does La Moraga have in common with Calima?
We always follow the same line that we believe in, with a cheeky wink at the world of “chiringuito”beach restaurants and by reflecting it in our own style.
We have seen the creation and overwhelming success of the La Moraga bars, what do you try to achieve with somebody eating in your restaurant?
We try to create tapas that will move the diner, we do our best to make sure they will feel the essence of Andalusia, take the convenience of a restaurant to the world of tapas and make it into what we call accessible luxury, making them feel like they are in a privileged environment at an affordable price for the general public and for food lovers.
How do you think the public view the opening of La Moraga in Malaga airport?
Very well. There are people who come to La Moraga in the airport when our Malaga or Banus bars are full. At the moment we are learning how an airport works, although we are sure that our expanding to an international level is just around the corner. In a year’s time we will be in Manhattan (New York), London and Tokyo.
You already have vast experience on the Costa del Sol, what effect do you think you make on the foreign palates?
I don’t know, but our intention is for them to really get to know our roots and to understand what is a gazpacho, an ajoblanco or a croqueta, and to see the most modern side of Andalusia.
What do you relieve you have given to the Andalusian Cookery?
It annoys me that I am often judged for creating a technique like nitrogen liquid. What I really think is most valuable was what we did in 1998 by using traditional recipes that have always been used and taking them to a higher level in our kitchens: gazpachuelos (a typical cold fish and potato based white consommé), migas (a spicy sausage and breadcrumb dish), gazpachos (traditional Andalusian cold soup made of tomatoes, peppers etc.), ajoblanco (a cold soup based of almonds and garlic), guisos de gurullos (a typical stew with bread dumplings) and a long list of etceteras. Doing this was important to me and a huge step forward.
The Costa del Sol, using the five senses
The best VIEW on the Costa del Sol can be found in…
Calima
The SMELL that would make you come back…
The smell of jasmine
This FLAVOUR that you always be looking for in your native homeland…
Sardines cooked over wood on the beach
When you are away and you close your eyes what SOUND comes to mind?
The sound of the sea
This OBJECT from your homeland that you won’t find anywhere is…
Shellfish