The culinary section, a popular side section of the San Sebastian Film Festival, opens on September 23 with “Mugaritz. Sin pan ni postre,” which pulls back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of the two-Michelin-starred Basque restaurant Mugaritz.
Produced by Movistar Plus+ and Fonte Films, the documentary is directed by Paco Plaza (“The Grandmother,” “Veronica”) who was granted access to the inner sanctum of the 26-year-old restaurant located outside the upscale city of San Sebastián. In the documentary, Plaza follows chef Andoni Luis Aduriz and his team as the restaurant closes its doors to the public for a few months. During this time, they deliberate and create a new and innovative gastronomic experience for the upcoming season.
By late April, Mugaritz opens its doors to test curious and challenged diners. The chef encourages the staff to “surprise, astonish, provoke, and even outrage” under this year’s theme of “The Unseen.” Ultimately, the 20-plus dishes aim to blur the lines between avant-garde and traditional, culinary science and science, cuisine and art. Each season represents an unexpected leap into the void, where the previous season’s hits have no place. Some of the innovative dishes include a dish in which the diner must crush a bone to reach the ingredients, and a tea served in a cup made of leaves.
This original production from Movistar Plus+, which premieres an exclusive trailer in diverse, The move represents another leap in the platform’s original production strategy, underscored by the company’s alliances with directors like Plaza and the broader Spanish cinema ecosystem, including independent production companies like Fonte Films, founded by Pablo Isla, Carla Pérez de Albéniz, and María Jesús Román.
In an exclusive interview with diverseChef Andoni and Plaza talked about the philosophy behind the restaurant and the making of the documentary.
Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz:
What do you think are the main sources of inspiration for your dishes?
“We have spent more than 25 years researching, asking questions, investigating… in order to try to build something that contributes to those who visit us. In this exploration, the network of relationships we have with people from performing arts, literature, music, fashion, philosophy, science, etc. is very present. We have realized that we have a lot to discuss and learn and that deep down there is a common language between these disciplines and gastronomy, and that everything is more intertwined than we imagine.
When you're dedicated to creativity, inspiration for a dish or idea for something can come to you in the most unexpected way, from reading a romance novel to an 18th-century poem. After all, it's life and what happens in it that inspires you.
In the documentary, you say that your leadership style is no Leadership. Can you explain what you mean by this?
There is a kind of leadership through inspiration, where you aim to make the world look like what you want it to be, and the way to do that is not through theories or just imposing your way of doing things, but by creating an ecosystem. Inspiration is very powerful, and if you allow the people around you to grow, and your role is more about ensuring the quality and continuity of the style, then extraordinary things will eventually happen.
You and your team also discuss negative reviews about the dishes. Additionally, a negative review of the restaurant by an influencer appeared on TikTok and then in the press. What do you think of these comments?
I think that in the world of social media and immediacy that we have created, we prioritize visibility and virality over judgment and common sense, and I think that is something we should stop to think about. Here, no one is forced to come, and I think it makes sense as a diner to care enough to have a basic understanding of the place they are going to visit. It is also strange that sometimes the criticism comes from people who are the same age or younger than the person behind the project, who has been defending their own way of understanding and living the world of gastronomy for over 25 years. The greatest act of generosity we can do is to show ourselves as we really are. It is an act of pure love for the customer, knowing that we may conflict but also knowing not to surrender to what we consider to be our origin: our style and our essence. I always say that the worst thing that can happen to us is for a diner to leave indifferent after an experience at Mugaritz.
Who do you think pioneered this type of experimental cuisine? Ferran Adrià of El Bulli, whom you worked with?
Many professionals have made great contributions. For me, the El Bulli project that Adria created is the most brilliant and generous project ever. At the same time, the Nouvelle Cuisine movement and everything it sparked was very revolutionary, with things that sometimes seem almost naive today. For example, they said that Michel Girard was rude because he made a salad with foie gras, claiming that acid could not go with foie gras, which today seems like the most obvious thing in the world. Or Gualtiero Marchesi’s open ravioli, which I consider a conceptual masterpiece. Many wonderful things have happened, like the path opened by Michel Bras, which led to the emergence of all natural cuisine and its branches. And there are also other great chefs like Heston Blumenthal or Pierre Gagnaire, among others, who have opened new paths.
Paco Plaza, Director:
Can you tell us what inspired you to make this documentary?
I have been visiting Mugaritz on and off for the past 25 years, almost since its opening, and have witnessed its incredible evolution. Andoni’s philosophy, his relentless pursuit of new challenges, and his quirky and unconventional approach to cooking are all sources of inspiration to me. So when I received the call from Fonte Films, I didn’t hesitate for a moment because I felt fortunate to witness the creative processes of one of the world’s brightest minds.
I really like the music you chose. Can you tell us how you chose it? And what instruments you used?
The music was composed by Miquel Salas, with whom I have worked on several films. His approach was not to use any traditional instruments, but to substitute forks, pans and cups. One source of inspiration was the classical melodies of the txalaparta band, a Basque country band, but using cooking utensils instead.
How long did it take to film and when was it filmed? These are the dishes they will be serving in 2024, I imagine?
We covered the process of creating the 2024 menu, which spanned from January through the opening in late April.
What challenges did you face during filming, if any?
The challenge was to make the documentary reflect Mugaritz's philosophy: unconventional, playful, and more poetic than descriptive. I tried to apply the same working style of filming and editing that the Mugaritz R&D team uses. I hope I succeeded.
