Josep Roca
TRANSFORMING LIVES WITH THE FOOD AFRICA PROJECT
Imagine having to wait for months for a meal in a renowned restaurant. Well, every bite will be worth the wait if it’s El Celler de Can Roca, one of the world’s foremost restaurants. Located in Girona, Spain, the restaurant offers a wide range of cuisines that continue to receive the acclaim of critics, connoisseurs and royalty across the globe. El Celler de Can Roca is run by three brothers - Joan, Josep and Jordi (Roca Brothers) whose passion for satisfying taste buds and hunger pangs with the most exquisitely prepared delicacies is legendary. Since its inception in 1986, the restaurant has grown to become an established brand with multiple laurels and awards. In 2013, it was named the best restaurant in the world by the magazine Restaurant, after having been ranked second in 2011 and 2012. In 2014, it was named second best restaurant in the world. In 2015, it was once again named the best restaurant in the world by the magazine Restaurant. For the Roca Brothers, food is a phenomenon and a responsibility. It was inevitable that they would venture into a cause that seeks to promote food security across Africa (using Kaduna State as the pilot location) in partnership with Sahara Group, a leading African energy conglomerate, the Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG-F) and the Kaduna State Government. The Food Africa project is expected to enhance inclusiveness in the agricultural sector by providing families with better nutrition and livelihood opportunities. One of the Roca Brothers, Josep, a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador with the SDG Fund was in Nigeria recently for the launch of the project and provides an insight into the Food Africa project and the world of the Roca Brothers in this interview with Style Correspondent AYODEJI ROTINWA…
What gave you the urge to take up the challenge in the industry?
It is our responsibility as UN Goodwill Ambassadors working with the Sustainable Development Goals Fund to fight hunger and promote food security and better nutrition. Working with the SDG Fund has been fun. When they asked us where we would like to start working, we said we would love to start from the African continent. And we thought we should start with Nigeria, Kaduna to be precise, where there are so many opportunities.
What has been your experience working with Sahara Group and the Kaduna State Government on the Food Africa Project?
Our first perception when we met Tonye Cole, the Co-Founder of Sahara Group was that his organisation was quite passionate about providing platforms that will enhance the sustainable development goals. From our own point of view, he painted a clear picture of how unique Nigeria is. Before we started this project we met and discussed on how to involve the private sector in development programmes. We believe in the Food Africa project as it is an innovative project whereby the Federal government , the Kaduna state government and private sector businesses are coming together to address the challenges of food security and provide access to jobs especially for young men and women. Our visit to the Kaduna for the formal launch of the project also showed the passion and commitment of the Kaduna State Government towards this project. We are happy to be working with the Sahara Group, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund and other stakeholders to realise this goal.
Specifically what will you try to achieve with your presence here?
We will in collaboration with other partners explore various ways of teaching the farmers in Kaduna to preserve and conserve their harvest in order to reduce food waste. We know that a high percentage of harvest in Kaduna is lost, an example being tomatoes, where the loss is as high as 70%. There are affordable and sustainable technologies to help reduce these losses. And we are also looking at possible new market for the food producers in Kaduna.
Your restaurant is one of the best in the world. What would you say is responsible for your sustained success since 1986 when it opened?
We were born in the kitchen and also raised in a small bar. Our neighbourhood and restaurant are situated in a place always used for welcoming people and immigrants. And this was the mission our parents taught us since we were children. The lesson of our parents was always of hospitality and generosity and perhaps this is the reason why we are here. This small bar and our restaurant are in an area of social exclusion and now has become our factory of dreams where people from all over the world come to visit. Out of the last 10,000 customers, we have had people from over 55 countries coming in to visit us.
How much of an influence did your parents - who were restaurateurs themselves - have on the kind of restaurant El Celler De Can Roca is today?
Our parents taught us that if we want to go into this business we must know much about generosity and hospitality. We are three brothers. We have 3 different heads and minds. Josep head is the liquid mind. Joan is the savoury mind and Jordi the sweet and desserts mind. These are three roles that came together to make a singular restaurant that is very unique in the world.
El Celler de Can Roca has been praised by fellow chefs, as “one of the top restaurants in Europe and the world at large.” You have also been rated very high by the New York Times. How would you best describe the kind of cuisine produced by El Celler de Can Roca and how does it feel seeing that three brothers are responsible for this great innovation that has been holding the number 1 spot as the best restaurant in the world in 2015?
Probably due to innovation as you have mentioned. This has brought the three brothers together in a restaurant that has done something very surprising. The restaurant is a place which has not only seen great strength in technological innovation but creative strength, added to the high quality of inputs and raw materials used in the preparations of the cuisine. The place has rich cultural strength in cuisine and gastronomic sceneries. Our restaurant has probably the strength of making cuisine of emotions, innovation and growth.
You are head of wine, and wine goes with cuisines. So what inspires that magical love for preparation of wine?
The wine in our restaurants talks more about our emotions, something that’s in our DNAs. It is one that is very playful, unique and intellectual. The similarities between wine and food are that they go hand in hand. The food and wine are representations of the landscape in the country and the environment we belong to. We do dishes from different perspectives and it helps in inspiring writing of books, technological, inventions, creativity etc. To me that’s the magic.
Have you tried any of our locally made cuisines in Nigeria? Are you considering any for global exposure?
For food, I have tasted lots like Akara, Fura, Abacha, Tom brown, Kilishi, Chin Chin, Kolanuts, Suya, and many others. With all this, I know you people in this country like spicy food. This was a business trip and we were on a tight schedule but I am definitely coming back and willing to experiment with your food and cuisine.
Will you be looking to set up a restaurant on the African continent anytime soon?
Due to our international recognition, we have been to many places around the world. But we are not here to open a new restaurant or franchise. We have been offered to open restaurants in many other cities of the world like New York, Paris, Singapore etc and we always declined and preferred to focus on our restaurant El Celler in Girona. We are here as part of our commitment as UN Goodwill Ambassadors. Of course we are always looking for inspiration from other countries’ cuisines to keep diversifying our portfolio.
Interestingly Sahara is 20 this year. What message do you have for Sahara?
Congratulations to Sahara Group. 20 years is a special time for any organisation. I wish Sahara many more years of growth, success and breaking new grounds. I hope that for the next 20 years Sahara Group will break into new frontiers and continue to reach many more people and change lives positively in the Nigeria, Africa and the world as large. Congratulations, Sahara.
This small bar and our restaurant are in an area of social exclusion and now has become our factory of dreams where people from all over the world come to visit. Out of the last 10,000 customers, we have had people from over 55 countries coming in to visit us.