We speak to the revered Spanish chef on cava, caviar olives, and his choice of footwear.

Mario Batali may swear by his signature orange crocs, but that won’t cut it for chef Ramón Freixa. While prepping at Resort World Sentosa’s Art at Curate—where he’s a guest chef until 11 November—we spotted him sporting a stylish pair of Premiata sneakers. “I bought this in Milan,” he says and then goes on to talk about the 40 odd pairs of kicks he has at home. “Forty sneakers, that’s not counting other kinds of shoes,” he stresses.

As one of the most hardworking and respected chefs in the world, it’s hard to imagine that Freixa has the time to do serious shoe shopping. But balance plays a big part in his life as well as in his ‘plurimalist’ cooking philosophy, which he describes as a melding of classic and modern with a dash of eclectic flair. His unconventional style has garnered his eponymous restaurant, Ramón Freixa Madrid, two Michelin starts and inclusion in the Relais & Chateaux list. While he isn’t short of recognition, Freixa’s motivation isn’t stardom. “I became a chef because I want to connect with people,” he shares. Over tea in between lunch and dinner service, Singapore Tatler connects with the creative chef.   


 


 


 


 


 


 


Your kitchen here at Curate seems very relaxed. Is it the same in Madrid?

Well, the only difference is that we don’t have an open kitchen but the feeling is the same in Spain. It’s a happy place full of young, hardworking cooks. I believe that if you cook when you’re angry or stressed, it shows in the food. So I always try to be in a good mood and ask that my team stay positive, too.

What puts you in a good mood then?

Work does, I love my job. But also simple things like being around my family and friends… and travel!

Which cities do you love visiting?

I enjoy going to new places. For example, the first time I came to Singapore was 15 years ago and I was like a sponge absorbing all the new ingredients and flavours. But I also try to go to Paris every year. The first time I ate at Joel Robuchon was when I was 8 years old, so Paris has a lot of memories for me. Nowadays, when I am there I always try to dine at Pierre Gagnaire.

What do you want people to know about Spanish food?

That it is more than paella and tapas… and that it is the best cuisine, period. We have wonderful ingredients from different regions and have also pioneered a lot of amazing techniques. For example, I was happy to see the olive caviar at the Tippling Club when I ate there last week; that’s a Spanish invention. In Spain, there is a good foundation of both ingredients and cooking tradition, which we continue to build on. Best of all, the chefs and the community share with each other.    

The wine list at your Madrid restaurant is meant to be amazing. Could you recommend a bottle? 

You can’t go wrong with any kind of cava like Agustí Torelló Mata’s. I also love white wines from Galicia and enjoy discovering sherry wines. There’s too many to mention but the list we have at the restaurant should be a good representation. You have to come over!  

Photo: Cholo Dela Vega