We talked with chef Carles Flinch about Andorra's gastronomy and his relationship with bulthaup values.
We talked with chef Carles Flinch about Andorra's gastronomy and his relationship with bulthaup values.
What do your guests find at your restaurant, Can Manel, in Andorra?
They find a family-run restaurant with a forty-year history devoted to gastronomy, offering traditional cuisine with an innovative twist. The things we value most at our restaurant are top-quality ingredients, excellent service to our customers, and offering and promoting local and seasonal products, as well as the wines we are starting to produce in this country.
Where would you say Andorran gastronomy stands today? Is it opening up to innovation or more concerned with reinforcing its traditional cuisine?
Given the country’s focus on tourism, with about eleven million visitors each year, the range of gastronomic options is very broad. In recent years, it has been improving at all levels. Andorran gastronomy now caters to all sorts of tastes and budgets.
When you were growing up, you wanted to be an architect. How and why did you decide to switch over to cooking?
When I was in high school, I realized that sitting down in front of a book for hours wasn’t really for me. I wasn’t particularly good at math, so I changed over from architecture to designing recipes. After all, I had spent my entire childhood in a kitchen. I realized that it was a profession where I had real potential. And it has continued to be my passion up until today.
Does your passion for cooking also carry over to your home? Do you usually cook at home?
Actually, I don’t spend as much time at home as I would like to and ought to; besides, my wife is a better cook than I am. That’s what my daughters say: they prefer their mother’s cooking!
First anniversary of the bulthaup showroom in Andorra
Tell us a bit about your creative process when you have to plan an event like bulthaup Andorra’s first anniversary celebration.
It was an honor for me to have bulthaup triedre call us to celebrate their first anniversary—an honor and also a challenge, because we were going to prepare almost all the dishes live, on site, during the event. For dessert, we handed out syrups and fruit coulis in a variety of colors so that the guests could give free rein to their creativity and decorate the large table where the pastries were going to be set out. We had a great time!
In what ways do you identify with the bulthaup values?
I identify with the brand’s focus on quality and its commitment to service and special care in its relationship with its customers.
What benefits does a bulthaup kitchen give you?
What I would highlight about bulthaup kitchens is that they allow you to work in a clean, simple environment, made with materials that convey authenticity and reliability. The brand’s emphasis on ergonomics makes it possible to prepare dishes easily and efficiently.
If a friend of yours needed advice about kitchens, why would you recommend bulthaup?
What I would probably do is introduce them to my friends Olga and Jordi at bulthaup triedre. They’re true professionals who would know how to help them design their kitchen. My wife has heard me talk so much about bulthaup kitchens that we’re considering treating ourselves to one next Christmas. I’m sure that would inspire me to cook at home!
