Cooking Up a Tribute
by Mary Nyiri

Spain 2014
Directed by: Luis González, Andrea Gómez
Documentary

Brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca run the three Michelin star restaurant El Celler de Can Roca on the outskirts of Girona, Spain.  Normally gourmets from around the world travel to Girona just to eat in their restaurant.  However, the Roca brothers decided to leave Spain to explore new foods and traditions in Latin America and the U.S. and then with their new knowledge, they would create meals using ingredients unique to where they visited. Afterwards, the entire restaurant staff would travel across the Atlantic to prepare a dinner in several towns, closing down the restaurant for five weeks. This film documents their adventures in implementing their grand plan.

The Roca brothers take research trips through Mexico, Colombia, Peru and the U.S. state of Texas. Visits are made to small farms, plantations, distilleries and culinary schools. They meet with owners, chefs and critics. From restaurants Harry Sasson in Bogota, Astrid & Gaston in Lima, Biko in Mexico City, Casa Oaxaca in Oaxaca to the to the Gabriela Coffee Estate in the Andean mountains, Josep samples what each has to offer. He learns how to drink mescal and eat live honey ants. Once the new foods, herbs and spices are passed on to the team back in Spain, they develop new recipes, like mescal candy. Then for the final segment of the film, the entire staff travels abroad to prepare the dishes created in their own kitchen. You can feel the passion the Roca brothers have for all things edible. See the film to join in the celebration that eating a well prepared meal can be when prepared by the Roca brothers.