With Chef Sergi Arola in town, the guide chatted with the culinary artist. From Spanish cuisine in the city to future plans for his two-star Michelin eatery Arola in Juhu, the gourmand doles out a delicious scoop
Sergi Arola
Q. Why are you back in Mumbai?
A. I’m back in Mumbai because of my restaurant, my hotel, my friends, and my family. I never need a special reason or an excuse to come to Mumbai. For JW Marriott Mumbai and for me, this restaurant (Arola) is a very serious project and I try and come as much as I can to keep in loop with everything that is happening and also because I love the city.
Sergi Arola
Q. Is there anything special that we can expect from you this time around?
A. Yes, after my recent restaurant launch in Istanbul, I’m working a lot with rice and pasta. We are going to twist the menu a little to incorporate more rice preparations in the coming month. We are especially keen on different kinds of rice because it is probably one of the easiest items to pair and bring Spanish cuisine to the guests. Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Turkish; people from all over the world enjoy rice.
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Patatas Bravas
Q. What has the response been to Spanish cuisine in the city?
A. After just two years of being in the city, Mumbaikars have responded very well to it. When you are the pioneer, it is always more difficult to make your place but from the very beginning we knew what our purpose was of launching this restaurant. We are working very hard with the cooperation of Chef Manuel Olveira, Chef de cuisine at Arola and other teams in the hotel to achieve this.
Q. Could you share a few lesser-known facts about Spanish cuisine with our readers?
A. I love to share the simplicities or the complexities of Spanish cuisine with my readers. Spanish food is a mix of simple and complex recipes but the simplest way to understand is to come and try one’s hands on it.