El Bulli: Cooking in Progress (2011)

Directed by: Gereon Wetzel | 108 minutes | documentary

El Bulli is a world famous restaurant with three Michelin stars. The Spanish Ferran Adrià is considered the best, most innovative and the most exceptional chef in the world. Located in Roses on Spain’s Costa Brava, El Bulli has been voted the best restaurant in the world for five years. The documentary ‘El Bulli – Cooking in Progress’ was previously very successful at IDFA 2010.

It sounds unlikely, but his restaurant El Bulli is closed six months a year. Ferran and three of his master chefs then retire to Barcelona in what they call their ‘cooking lab’. Then they experiment for months to their heart’s content to develop new dishes and flavors for the new restaurant season. Everything must be brand new, nothing must have been served and shown in their restaurant before. Extensive analyzes of taste and composition of ingredients, roasting, baking, steaming, vacuuming and more such techniques are tried out. They work extremely concentrated and because it is a very serious, almost scientific matter, an extensive report is made of all applied preparation methods with the computer next to the cooking table.

Finally, all creative ideas are worked out and presented to Ferran Adrià. His motto is: ‘creativity means: do not copy’. In an evening at El Bulli you have to feel something, experience something in his words. The more confusion the better!’ It is a special experience to watch Ferran Adrià give his verdict with a single gesture or word, while his three top chefs watch intently to see what the chef thinks. Sometimes an idea is literally mercilessly dismissed as ‘too ordinary’ or ‘doesn’t taste like anything’.

For anyone who loves good food (and who doesn’t?), ‘El Bulli: Cooking in Progress’ is an experience to watch. Visiting the restaurant is no longer possible after July 30, 2011 (by the way, reservations had to be made almost a year in advance). In 2014 it will reopen as a center and think tank for creative cooking and gastronomy. It is a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to experience how top chefs work creatively, but also a literal look behind the scenes at the organization of the restaurant. Thirty-five chefs are put to work while Ferran is still putting the finishing touches on the new dishes. In addition to the inside look at the organization, the images contain some great creative finds in new dishes that even Ferran Adrià wonders why he didn’t come up with the idea sooner.

Director Gereon Wetzel has chosen not to comment or ask questions, as the camera covers the process from creative design to the tight organization of a restaurant when the menus are finally served. That has turned out to be a successful plan.

The style and tone of the documentary is somewhat clinically observant in the first half without too much emphasis on emotions or drama. The moment the great master Ferran Adrià comes more emphatically into the picture, the arc of tension increases and the final discharge follows. The way in which his ‘absolute’ sense of smell and taste is used and comes to a judgment is downright exciting to watch.

At the end of this fascinating documentary, the viewer is truly spoiled once again and your mouth is watering. Finally, all thirty-five dishes of the new menu are reviewed in an eye- and tongue-pleasing way. The senses are then intensely stimulated again. A wonderful film to lick your fingers!