1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Hi everyone, welcome to Potluck Food Talks. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:14,800 Today I'm here with Adriano Mejia, someone I've worked with, we've lived together, we've 3 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,880 cooked, eaten together, so we've done a few things. 4 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,000 Welcome Adriano, nice to have you here. 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Eric, what's up? 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:22,000 How are you? 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,000 Good, good, good, good. 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:28,640 So you've been quite around in the culinary world, especially in the Basque Country, and 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,560 especially in the last years, I would say you've been in, I don't know, four or five 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,200 restaurants in the last few years, so you've been moving around a lot. 11 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:36,200 But let's start with the beginning. 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:41,840 You were Ecuadorian originally, but you started cooking here in the Basque Country. 13 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:42,920 How did that begin? 14 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:44,460 How did you end up here? 15 00:00:44,460 --> 00:00:48,960 When did you start cooking for the first time and when professionally for the first time? 16 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,480 Yeah, I think you explained it very well. 17 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:55,640 I've been fooling around in many restaurants in the last years, but it goes all the way 18 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:57,760 back when I was a small kid. 19 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,840 I used to work a lot with my grandmother in her kitchen. 20 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,920 I took her recipe books and I just started wiggling around trying to figure out some 21 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,520 recipes she made. 22 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:12,200 And I started since I was maybe five years old until I decided to study professionally, 23 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:17,920 become a cook ten years ago, where I arrived to San Sebastian, specifically in the Basque 24 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,760 Country, to Basque Culinary Center to start a four-year degree on cooking, well, gastronomy. 25 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,520 And then years in the Basque Culinary, I had to travel to different places to make some 26 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:29,520 stash. 27 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,720 And the best memories I have are from Sweden, Fabiqen in Ore. 28 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,160 I don't know if you know about it. 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:36,640 Yes, of course. 30 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,200 It's a legendary restaurant, Magnus Nilsson. 31 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:44,400 Phil, the co-host of the show, has also worked there. 32 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,200 And I remember he and I, we discovered that restaurant at the same time. 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,280 It was on an Apicius magazine many years ago. 34 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:52,560 And we were like, what is this? 35 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:53,560 Who is this guy? 36 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:54,560 What is he doing? 37 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:55,560 Yeah, it's crazy. 38 00:01:55,560 --> 00:02:02,200 Actually, just before I moved to San Sebastian in 2015, I believe, summer 2015, I saw on 39 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,360 Chef's Table Fabiqen episode. 40 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:05,360 It's amazing. 41 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,120 And I fell in love with that restaurant. 42 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:12,440 And at third year at the university, I had to choose one place to stash. 43 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:16,680 And all my memories went back when I decided to start cooking professionally. 44 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,480 And I was there for four months. 45 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,200 A great place during summer. 46 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:26,460 I was capable of doing all the fermentation processes because I was in summer. 47 00:02:26,460 --> 00:02:30,720 So they had a full menu prepared for all the year. 48 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:38,440 Everything they gather in summer, they pickled and some type of preservation so they can 49 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,560 keep doing the menu in winter. 50 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,920 And of course, all the produce we used there was top of the notch. 51 00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:44,920 Great people. 52 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:48,840 I made some great friends there who I still in touch with them nowadays. 53 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:53,080 One of them works at EMP, for example, at the Arranca. 54 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,560 It was a great passing my E. 55 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,320 So I want to know a few things about this place. 56 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,240 I know that there is a lot of foraging if you work there. 57 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:07,960 I know that there are like this specific shoes that they also use them in the residence of 58 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:12,580 Christian Puglisi, that are these shoes that are both for garden and kitchen. 59 00:03:12,580 --> 00:03:17,260 And I know also that there is something very specific about the service, that all service 60 00:03:17,260 --> 00:03:18,260 are the same. 61 00:03:18,260 --> 00:03:20,480 So you have a choreography like a theater. 62 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:21,880 What can you share about that? 63 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:22,880 Yeah. 64 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:27,800 So first talking about foraging, I remember I was the person in charge of doing all the 65 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:28,800 foraging. 66 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,720 I was the apprentice of the vegetable section. 67 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:36,120 So we have several different projects that we had to do during the week and during the 68 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,120 day. 69 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:41,660 And of course, during the year, because for example, in summer I had to collect moss. 70 00:03:41,660 --> 00:03:47,080 We dehydrate some so we can be used for the winter and the fresh one we used during summer. 71 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,720 So I remember they gave me the keys to a caddy, a Volkswagen caddy. 72 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:58,040 And I just was going all the roads around town, trying to find some flowers, pine for 73 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,480 some desserts. 74 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,160 Also I don't know if you know silage? 75 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,400 No, no idea. 76 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,320 Silage is like the fermented hay. 77 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:09,320 Fermented hay. 78 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:10,320 Yeah. 79 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:11,320 Okay. 80 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:15,480 So it's like you go around these streets and there are like these big black packs of 81 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,600 silage and one with a red cross. 82 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,800 So I had to go there, pick some silage that the head chef usually go before, smell it 83 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:25,120 when it was perfect. 84 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,480 I pick it and then we made the ice cream from it. 85 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,480 I've tried that fermented hay ice cream. 86 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,480 That stuff is amazing for me. 87 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:35,480 It's great. 88 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,840 It has like this nutty flavors. 89 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:38,840 Super nice. 90 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:43,160 It's very complex because it's, I don't know, maybe a whole season it's there just sitting 91 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:48,480 in the sun and rainy nights and it just get this very complex aroma. 92 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,240 And I don't know, before I was in Farik and I would never think about eating silage in 93 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:53,240 my life. 94 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,240 There are these Australian brand called Bluntstone. 95 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,920 And I remember when Talik and I accept my stash with them, I received like an email 96 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,760 with all the rules going there and they explain everything. 97 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,680 And in uniform it just said black pants and bloodstone boots. 98 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,600 That was the only requirement, then they give you the whole uniform. 99 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:14,600 So you have to buy them yourself? 100 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,080 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 101 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,080 They don't give you. 102 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,800 I mean they're quite expensive for a student, but it was worth it. 103 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,000 I still have them nowadays. 104 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:23,640 I still use them. 105 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,960 The same ones you bought for that occasion? 106 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:26,960 Yeah. 107 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:33,240 Then I bought a couple of several other models, but the same ones I started there I think 108 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,800 eight years ago, I still have them and use them. 109 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,280 The choreography service, what about that? 110 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:45,920 It's a great impact because first I was into the production kitchen, which is like this 111 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:46,920 huge barn. 112 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:51,800 We have to know that Faviken was run by Magnus Nilsson. 113 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,400 Actually, it closed a year after I was there. 114 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,400 But it was the Swedish family that has the project. 115 00:05:58,400 --> 00:05:59,840 It was a huge land. 116 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:03,420 They had a lot of land that surrounded and Faviken was in the middle of there. 117 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:10,640 So besides Faviken, they had this butchery and they have a pastry and bakery as well, 118 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,000 like a small restaurant. 119 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,760 So there was our ecosystem around Faviken. 120 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:16,440 I started in the production kitchen. 121 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:21,120 They have this line, they get fresh meat, they get whole animals. 122 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:27,040 So there's the guy in the production that has to make every cut, place everything where 123 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:28,040 it belongs. 124 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:33,120 And after getting into the production kitchen, you enter the service kitchen. 125 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:38,920 And there's this big red clock, I don't know, maybe 1 meter 30 centimeters. 126 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:40,800 And there it goes exactly. 127 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,960 Every day you start the same hour, same time. 128 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,960 It's a choreography. 129 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,240 All the guests come at the same time. 130 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,920 They have a 30-minute gap between 6.30 and 7 p.m. 131 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,080 And at 7, the first course starts. 132 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:59,360 The head shift just starts at 6.53. 133 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:01,360 Seven minutes for the first course. 134 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,400 Seven answers back and then everything starts. 135 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,480 You begin and finish every day at the same time. 136 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:07,480 That's crazy. 137 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,920 So it works kind of like a banquet somehow. 138 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:12,040 Pretty much. 139 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,920 It was actually two floors. 140 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:17,080 In the first floor you have this huge table. 141 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,280 It was meant to seat eight people. 142 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,520 And then you had some people that can have the snacks outside or in the first floor. 143 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:28,920 And after, I don't know, maybe six passes, some of the guests went up to the second floor 144 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:30,940 where they have their own tables. 145 00:07:30,940 --> 00:07:33,720 There were two tops, four tops, like that. 146 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:39,240 And eight people to stay down in their group table, which was much more fun, I can say, 147 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,240 because you experience with all the kind of people. 148 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,000 So then what happened then? 149 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:49,200 We worked together at the opening of Label Restaurant for a while. 150 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:54,280 That was also crazy, the experience of opening a new place and planning everything from scratch. 151 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,920 I was on the project only for the first five or six months. 152 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,160 And then at some point you also took over as head chef over there. 153 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:07,040 Yeah, so actually chronologically after one year of that, we both started Digital Astronomy 154 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,720 Lab Restaurant in San Sebastian in Tavacalera. 155 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:15,960 So I think we were working together for six months or five months in the development. 156 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:16,960 Exactly. 157 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,200 We were working together on the computer, not even... 158 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,520 Ah, okay, like before the opening, I was working at least one year before the opening, like 159 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,920 in the whole project management of the opening and everything. 160 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,800 And I remember we both put that project together. 161 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:36,960 And after you left, I stayed at head chef, not for long, but maybe eight months. 162 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:42,020 I had a problem where I had to go back to Ecuador for a visa problem. 163 00:08:42,020 --> 00:08:46,120 So I was around four months in Ecuador, came back here. 164 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:50,840 Coronavirus came in that time, so it was crazy, a lot of things happening. 165 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:55,400 I know it was a pretty young restaurant, maybe six, eight months old. 166 00:08:55,400 --> 00:09:00,080 Coronavirus came, so we had to become delivery guys. 167 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:01,960 Ah, I had the delivery. 168 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,480 I had your delivery while Corona. 169 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:10,480 And I think back then it was the best delivery I've ever had because that was before I tried 170 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:14,560 David Muñoz and Danny Garcia's delivery. 171 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:16,740 But it's my top three for sure. 172 00:09:16,740 --> 00:09:21,680 It was nice because we came up with a completely different idea of what delivery was at the 173 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:22,680 time. 174 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:26,240 Send everything cold so people can heat it up and finish the dishes. 175 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:30,000 Of course, they had the time at that time because everyone was locked up. 176 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,640 So we made some nice recipes. 177 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:37,680 We started working with some nice producers, had a lot of relationships. 178 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:43,680 And it was Ruben who still works at Bulinari and me driving around San Sebastian doing 179 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:44,680 the deliveries. 180 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:47,280 And I was in the kitchen cooking, packing things. 181 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:48,280 It was nice. 182 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,720 I remember that nice moment in the conditions we were at Corona, of course. 183 00:09:52,720 --> 00:10:02,120 And I got lost chronologically because then you worked at Ama's project and then at Ama. 184 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:03,920 What was the order of these things? 185 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:09,880 Well, Ama is a super nice restaurant in Tolosa, which is a village also here in Limpuzcuá, 186 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,200 like a half an hour train ride from San Sebastian. 187 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:18,040 And the two great places that are in Tolosa, one is Ama, the other one is Casa Julian, 188 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:24,200 which is a legendary grill place, world known for some, it has the best steak in the world. 189 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:30,280 At that point, they were starting to expand to open more operations in different places. 190 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:35,120 But again, Corona hit and all of the rules changed around. 191 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:36,120 Exactly. 192 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:44,400 So I decided to finish my relationship with Lava restaurant in October 2020, I believe. 193 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:45,400 2020. 194 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:51,080 Go straight with Ama people to Enea, which was in Hotel Senit in San Sebastian. 195 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:53,840 At that time, I started living with you actually. 196 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,680 And second wave of Corona came in. 197 00:10:56,680 --> 00:10:57,680 It was crazy. 198 00:10:57,680 --> 00:10:59,440 Those were some hard times, I believe. 199 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,480 Like you say, wait, we live together, but I actually forgot about it because I would 200 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:05,280 never see you at home. 201 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:11,520 You would arrive when I was already sleeping and leave before I woke up. 202 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,080 So you were like a ghost. 203 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,080 I would never see you. 204 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:19,600 Yeah, I have had some crazy experience in my cooking career. 205 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,960 And maybe that moment in time was one of the craziest. 206 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:24,960 Maybe I was 25. 207 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,360 It was in a hotel. 208 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,160 I could stay there sometimes. 209 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:33,320 I live maybe four streets, but I rather stay sometimes in a bench just taking a nap than 210 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:34,960 going home. 211 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:35,960 The project started good. 212 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:37,920 It started going pretty well. 213 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:39,300 People like it a lot. 214 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:44,520 And I had to go to Tulosa because there was a guy who worked with them there that was 215 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:47,360 leaving and they asked me to go with them there. 216 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:53,240 And I was in the previous Ama because right now it's a bigger restaurant in another place 217 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:54,240 in the same town. 218 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,520 I have known the new one. 219 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,280 I've been only to the original one. 220 00:11:58,280 --> 00:11:59,280 Right. 221 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,120 So I worked in the original and now they changed the location. 222 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:08,640 And after that, it was been at last two years, also moving a little bit. 223 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,520 I just had a small pass to Michelin star restaurant. 224 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,640 And then I end up at Nauru. 225 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,560 I had a great relationship with the people there. 226 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:18,560 Which Michelin star? 227 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:19,560 Amelia. 228 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:20,560 You were at Amelia. 229 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:21,560 Amelia. 230 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:22,600 How was the experience there? 231 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:23,600 It was crazy. 232 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,700 It was one of the other craziest experience I had. 233 00:12:25,700 --> 00:12:29,160 I was there just for a couple of months, maybe four months. 234 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,000 And then I had to go back to air-conditioning again. 235 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,040 And I came back just straight to Nauru. 236 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:40,240 Nauru is one of my favorite restaurants in San Sebastian. 237 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,800 They cook modern basque. 238 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,240 Also as far as I know, they offer the best working conditions in the city. 239 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,920 Like chefs there work eight hours a day. 240 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,440 It's not like this crazy environment. 241 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:52,440 As far as I know. 242 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:54,440 What can you share about that? 243 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:55,440 Yeah. 244 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:01,440 Nauru was this place where people maybe three, four years ago were pretty excited about getting 245 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:02,440 to it. 246 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:07,240 I remember when we were at Lave, all this thing, Nauru opening the new location. 247 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,880 I think it's four years old or five. 248 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:11,840 Everyone was going crazy about going there. 249 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:13,440 Now there's another place. 250 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,520 It's not gastronomic, but I heard a lot of people looking forward for their conditions. 251 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,320 We did the social hub. 252 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,560 It is a great big hotel from Dutch people, I think. 253 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:25,560 Yeah. 254 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:26,560 It's like a franchise. 255 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:32,560 As far as I know, there are social hubs in most cities in Spain and Europe. 256 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:37,200 You cannot compare what you're cooking and how you're learning to become a chef. 257 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,960 And one, you're just doing sandwiches and salads. 258 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,000 It depends on what you pursue, right? 259 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:43,000 Yeah. 260 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:49,800 Nauru has one of my favorite dishes, which is... Is it pig's tail? 261 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:55,800 Like de-boned, slowly cooked, like pan-fried, really crispy with calabineros. 262 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,240 I mean, that shit is over the top. 263 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,240 That's one of my favorite dishes ever. 264 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:01,240 Yeah, yeah. 265 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:02,240 Super nice. 266 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,120 And also this... How do you call them in English? 267 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:10,360 This tear piece, the super micro piece that are super... They call it the vegetable 268 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:16,760 caviar because it's so little and you have to take it out by hand. 269 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:21,080 And then if you have like a whole spoon of it, it's really like tasting vegetables in 270 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:22,600 the highest way. 271 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:23,600 Super nice. 272 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:24,600 Yeah. 273 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,720 And the best dish I have of... I think some people call them as napis or something like 274 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:29,720 that. 275 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:30,720 I don't know. 276 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:31,720 Okay. 277 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,760 But it was at Echevarris because he makes it like... He sauteed them on the grill with 278 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:36,720 their own smoked juice. 279 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:42,240 It was like one small spoon, but I can remember till now, maybe from eight years ago. 280 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:48,000 But yeah, Nauru, I think is the best product restaurant in San Sebastian. 281 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:49,560 They deliver it perfectly. 282 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:53,600 They have the best product working on it in season as well. 283 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,720 I was working with Inigo in the midsection. 284 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,480 So the kitchen is divided in three sections. 285 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,560 The head chef is Inigo Pena, the owner. 286 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:06,020 And all the seasonal dishes go through the station. 287 00:15:06,020 --> 00:15:13,000 So whenever we had artichoke or squid, teodrapis, also truffle dishes in winter. 288 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:14,480 So everything was in our section. 289 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:15,480 It was nice. 290 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:16,480 We never get bored. 291 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:21,480 Then you also worked... Nauru has like a little brother restaurant called Zuka, which 292 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,680 is like Wagyu beef burger place. 293 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,040 And they used to make also like super nice ice creams. 294 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:28,840 They're not doing ice cream anymore, right? 295 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:29,840 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 296 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:30,840 They're doing them. 297 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:31,840 Okay. 298 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,200 I and Nauru, I went back to Ecuador again. 299 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,720 All the times I had like a small break to go back with my family. 300 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:39,720 Okay. 301 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,240 But let's talk about that because that's also interesting. 302 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:48,680 Your father has like a pizzeria or some pizzerias and you usually go there to help him out with 303 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:53,640 some of his operation processes or what is it exactly? 304 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:58,720 So he started with his first restaurant maybe 2017. 305 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,760 I was already two years studying in the Basque country. 306 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:09,560 He was an engineer for 30, 35 years and he decided to quit everything and get into the 307 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:10,560 restaurant industry. 308 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,760 And he opened his first place called Fatua Mano. 309 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,520 It was pizza and wine concept. 310 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,720 And throughout the years it has evolved, the idea, taking new concepts. 311 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,960 And now he just opened the fourth Fatua Mano. 312 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,200 So he's running four places. 313 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:31,080 Now also focus on pasta and more dishes, not just pizza. 314 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:35,800 And he has a bistro, a French bistro with another partner. 315 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,920 And they've been running it for five years as well. 316 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:44,400 When I had to go back to Ecuador because of the visa problem, I started three months the 317 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:46,080 bistro and then I came back. 318 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:50,440 And now it's running by a head chef there, Sebastián, which is actually a pretty good 319 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:51,440 place. 320 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:57,880 And now last year I went there and I just started doing my own pop-up events as well. 321 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:03,320 So I just called maybe eight people for them to answer, maybe two want to do something 322 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:04,320 with me. 323 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:06,160 So I just organized some events. 324 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:11,080 They're not cheap for the Ecuadorian prices, I guess. 325 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,560 But people who have been there, they enjoy it a lot. 326 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,000 Of course, it's only once in a year. 327 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,560 So I've been doing more of them in December and January. 328 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,840 So people can sign up. 329 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:26,200 So I take this opportunity also to remind all of our listeners that Phil and I are planning 330 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,240 to make a pop-up dinner here in San Sebastián. 331 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:35,100 We won't reveal date and location yet, but we can say it's going to be some sort of Japanese 332 00:17:35,100 --> 00:17:37,000 profanity concept. 333 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:42,960 So we'll take traditional Japanese recipes and mix them with other cultures in a way 334 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,760 that will offend all of the involved cultures. 335 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:46,760 Great. 336 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,200 If you need hands, I'm up to. 337 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,000 That would be amazing. 338 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,000 Of course. 339 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:57,320 So then you worked in Zuka's head chef as well, like for a while, or what were you doing 340 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:58,320 there? 341 00:17:58,320 --> 00:17:59,320 Right, Zuka. 342 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:06,080 So I came back there, helped them open Zuka, but it was a small amount of time as well. 343 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:07,680 Maybe just three months. 344 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,380 We packed it up because I had another project. 345 00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:14,520 So I worked with them until maybe June. 346 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,320 We made these amazing Waiu burgers. 347 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,880 The owners of the place own the cows, so it's just a very clean process. 348 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,720 And they make also ice cream. 349 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:25,920 Maybe before they had much more fame. 350 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,040 Now it started a little bit slower, but it's pretty good. 351 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,760 Okay, because that used to be my favorite ice cream in town. 352 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,360 I didn't know they reopened the ice creams. 353 00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:35,360 That's great news. 354 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:39,960 They just reopened for summer, but they're doing fewer flavors than before. 355 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:46,840 And then I just decided to open up one of my own projects I've been developing for 356 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:48,000 the last years. 357 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:49,960 It's a cheesecake place. 358 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:55,160 Like a cheesecake pastry shop, something like that, where you can get Basque cheesecakes 359 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:56,160 and coffee. 360 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:02,920 The idea was one, of course, whenever someone makes a project, it never ends as you had 361 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:04,840 the first time in mind. 362 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:11,680 I wanted to open this on San Sebastian, and I had some problems with the Ayuntamiento. 363 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:12,880 The city hall. 364 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:13,880 The city hall, exactly. 365 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:14,880 Like, permission-wise. 366 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:15,880 Exactly. 367 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,760 Here is very strict everything compared to Ecuador, of course. 368 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,080 In Ecuador you can do whatever you want. 369 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,080 Like all of Latin America, of course. 370 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,080 Exactly. 371 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:31,760 So maybe the dimensions of the oven or the kilovatios or the oven, anything. 372 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,000 To cut a long story short, I ended up opening in Getaria. 373 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:39,240 Getaria is a village west from San Sebastian, like half an hour. 374 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,240 It's a fisherman village. 375 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,760 And for me, it's one of the best places to go to this fish grill houses. 376 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:50,520 There is this world-known Elcano, which is one of the best restaurants in the world where 377 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,240 you can have incredible grilled fish. 378 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,680 Also Elcano Chiqui, which is a little brother of Elcano. 379 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:01,120 We were having lunch there last time with Adriano and a few friends. 380 00:20:01,120 --> 00:20:06,120 And then you have other places like Choco and Calla, which are these other like, grill 381 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:08,720 houses in the city. 382 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,400 Like from my perspective, you go there to eat grilled fish. 383 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:13,880 That's what you do in Getaria. 384 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:15,840 And drink Chacolí. 385 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,680 That's the main activity. 386 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:20,000 You just described it perfectly. 387 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,840 So we encountered that summer, of course. 388 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,000 A lot of people, a lot of tourism there. 389 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,720 Of course, anything will work. 390 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,080 People really like our product, but you described it perfectly before. 391 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:36,400 You'll go to Getaria thinking about grilled fish, some Chacolí and some pinches with 392 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:38,680 Chacolí before having lunch or dinner. 393 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:43,320 So you saw an opportunity and opening like a dessert place to have like a nice dessert 394 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:44,320 in that context. 395 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:45,320 Exactly. 396 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:46,320 Exactly. 397 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:47,320 People really like it. 398 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:51,120 With good coffee from Old Town Roasters in San Sebastian. 399 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:56,960 I have to say before you go on that Adriano's cheesecake is for sure among the best cheesecakes 400 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:58,080 I've ever had. 401 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,800 I would say the cheesecake at Ama is one of my favorites. 402 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:07,040 The one that Adriano makes and the one from our friend Jose Pelaez, who has now like a 403 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:13,560 startup that only operates in Colombia, in Medellin, in Bogota, that is called Lavasca. 404 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,000 And that's, I would say that's my top one. 405 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,760 That cheesecake is fucking really good. 406 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,400 It's incredible. 407 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,560 I actually was with Jose this week. 408 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:28,360 We were talking about cheesecake and how our projects are doing. 409 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:31,160 And yeah, his thing is crazy. 410 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,560 Maybe we can do a collaboration with the three of the companies. 411 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:35,560 Yeah, sure. 412 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:42,880 And yeah, so I opened there, been working and I decided to shut it down last Sunday. 413 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:44,680 So ending September. 414 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:49,560 I just want to really refocus the original focus of the project. 415 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,080 I have some ideas in mind, some offers on the table. 416 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:58,080 So we'll be reopening a new place, new concept very soon. 417 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:05,360 I don't want to say any dates as well, but Queso will be doing some pretty cool stuff 418 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:06,360 in the near future. 419 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:12,520 Queso is the name of the cheesecake shop. 420 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,640 That's it for this week's episode of Potluck Food Talks. 421 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:19,500 If you like what we're doing, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss 422 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:20,760 an episode. 423 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,780 You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok as Potluck Food Talks. 424 00:22:24,780 --> 00:22:51,800 The show airs every Monday.