| Juan Mari Arzak | ||||
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“Juan Mari Arzak, is regarded as the godfather of Basque nouvelle cuisine and commands the kind of adulation and respect reserved for holy deities. He is credited as having inspired an entire generation of Spanish chefs including Ferran Adria, chef at the controversial and acclaimed restaurant ‘El Bulli’.” Recently Juan Mari Arzak won the 2008 Universal Basque Award. “The Universal Basque Award, organized by the General Secretariat for Foreign Action and Basque savings bank “Caja Laboral-Euskadiko Kutxa”, is a recognition of the personal and professional careers of individuals, associations or entities whose activities have had a bearing on promoting the Basque Country abroad.” Basque Government’s General Secretary for Foreign Action Iñaki Agirre explained that Juan Mari Arzak was chosen in between sixteen candidates for being able to “make the Basque Country shine without overshadowing anyone”. The jury valued Arzak’s work “adapting gastronomy, one of the most important traditions of the Basque Country, to the new times and making of it one of the most innovative of the world”. Juan Mari Arzak is well known in San Sebastián for his role in preparing a meal for Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. Arzak’s food is modern and entertaining, often witty, never overwrought. Many of his creations are modern interpretations of classic Basque dishes, and local ingredients are always key to his cuisine. It’s just that sometimes, the local ingredients are a little unexpected.
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Juan Mari Arzak is one of the great characters of the culinary world. At 65, he may be the grand old man of Spain’s new cuisine, but he has the energy and dynamism of a man one-third his age. He learnt to cook at his mother’s and grandmother’s knees in the family business – the 111 year-old roadside tavern/restaurant “Arzak”. The restaurant is located in the big house that his family built in the village of Alza as a wine-cellar and tavern back in 1897. 
