b THE GOURMET profile
JUAN JOSÉ CARMONA
AND THE ART OF MINDFUL COOKING Juan José Carmona had a big run ahead of him when he took the baton from Diego del Río at El Lago Restaurant in Elviria. When the restaurant received its first Michelin star in 2000, it was the first in Marbella to have done so since the 1980s, thanks to the hard work of del Río, El Lago’s Director, Paco García, and the rest of the committed team. Over the past decade or so, the restaurant has become known for slow, zero-kilometre food that celebrates the unique produce and meat in the different rural areas that make up the province of Málaga. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN
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hen del Río set off to pursue new dreams, he did so calmly, testimony to his excellent relationship with the management. The restaurant’s choice to replace him was logical and visionary at once, Juan José Carmona, a young chef who had honed his craft under Spain’s best: Dani García at Tragabuches in Ronda, and later Andoni Aduriz at Mugaritz in Gipuzkoa – a restaurant that has made it to the Top 10 of Restaurant Magazine’s famous list consistently since 2006. Says Carmona, “It was actually Dani García who spoke to Jesús Camarero (of La Cónsula), an intermediary who made my stay at Mugaritz possible.” After a six-month stint at Mugaritz, Juan José returned to Tragabuches, but soon after, Mugaritz’ Head Chef recommended him to fill a post at the prestigious Guggenheim Museum’s Michelin-starred Nerua restaurant. “I was fortunate enough to work with Josean Alija. My experiences at Mugaritz and Nerua taught me how to work methodically and in a coordinated manner.” After this enviable experience, Juan José honed his craft at the Marbella Club and
Puente Romano Hotels, where, he says, “I learned the methodology of high-volume luxury hotels.” In 2006, Juan José founded his family restaurant: Girol, one of Fuengirola’s finest. Sadly, the demise of his mother, the bond that held all crucial components of the restaurant together, led the Chef to pursue new paths and today, he is proudly retaining El Lago’s highly coveted Michelin star. Here, he is free to dream up new recipes which hark back to Andalusian tradition. He is a chef who doesn’t like resting on his laurels; change is key but also the natural result of his musings and experimentation in the ktichen. Chefs are an interesting lot; most are a little nervous and pressed for time. Their job demands a delicate balance of different skills, including budgeting, sourcing ingredients, and of course, heading a busy kitchen. Juan José is different; he exudes an enviable calm and a clear mindfulness. Somehow, he is fully attentive to the present moment, not worrying about all the things he has yet to do. He is generous with his time,
despite the long hours ahead, and tranquil in demeanour. As soon as he brings out his latest menu, however, it is clear that his is a gifted mind, quick to envision new combinations but patient and careful in his technique. The prominence of vegetables in his cuisine is evident in creations such as the vegetable ceviche (featuring ecological produce and a citric sauce comprising lime, ginger, cilantro and avocado) or the pistachio and almond soup with a vegetable emulsion. Fish and meat dishes also shine, in the form of delights such as the salmonete fillets with roast celeriac and salmonete liver paté, or the carrillada de presa iberíca with ham noodles. Juan José is equally passionate about desserts, whipping up treats like a creamy mango and white chocolate confection, as heavenly as it is refreshing. Juan José is a chef whose menus very much reflect the bounties of the season and his passion for local produce. “Our fish and seafood are sourced from the Alborán sea and the pork and beef from Cádiz,” he says. El Lago is also known for its baby goat from Ronda, or the Payoyo cheese
from the Grazalema mountain range. Diners can sample delights of this calibre in one of two tasting menus: The Gourmet or The Classic (the former boasts a slightly greater number of dishes). Everything at El Lago is made from scratch, including the bread. Since Juan José’s arrival, diners enjoy a lovely olive oil testing experience, tucking into different varieties, one of which (called 2000) hails from a finca that Paco García’s family used to own. In addition to cooking, Juan José keeps busy with his young family (he is a father of three). He loves cycling – a sport that helps keep him mentally and physically fit – qualities which are vital for a busy chef. As our interview comes to a close, he surprises me one more time by telling me that at home, he is also the cook. “Many of the dishes I prepare at El Lago were invented at home for my family,” he smiles, content ‘in the here and now’ from the first to the last seconds of this memorable interview. g Urb. Elviria Hills, Avda. La Cumbres s/n, Marbella. Tel: 952 832 371. www.restauranteellago.com
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