Spanish chef in city to curate special menu

Chef Alberto Ferruz, a master innovator of native Spanish cuisine from the Jávea and the Marina Alta region, is in the city to curate a special menu for Christmas at the Taj West End. His restaurant BonAmb bagged its second Michelin star and third Repsol Sun within just eight years of opening.

Alberto’s experiments with food began when he was barely 12 when he started working in his uncle’s restaurant ‘La Bodega’ in Spain. Did he miss having a normal childhood?
“When all my friends were partying, I was working. But I have never thought too much about it. I just went with the flow,” he says. He recalls that during his initial days, he mastered how to make the dishes that were made at home. “The bigger experiments came much later,” he adds. “When I started out, I was appreciated on every dish that I cooked for my parents. This encouraged me to set a goal for myself and focus better,” he adds.

Are there any food experiments that have gone wrong? “Yes, of course. Every day. But every failure comes with a reward and inspires you to make something unique.”
The chef is still trying to decipher Indian food. Has he tried cooking anything Indian? “I am learning the flavours and how to strike a balance with the ingredients. For now, I prefer just to eat,” he says.

Alberto has come a long way. What advice does he have for aspiring chefs? “Young people who are eyeing a career in the hospitality industry have to learn, explore and work hard. They must also never forget to enjoy what they do,” he signs off.