Argentina’s most celebrated culinary export Mauro Colagreco has been serving seasonal food on the Côte d’Azur, at his restaurant Menton since 2006. Last year Mirazur, also called the ultimate restaurant experience, was awarded a coveted third Michelin star, pushing it to the number one position on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List. Despite Mirazur’s presence in the ‘best of’ lists, Colagreco, isn’t the kind of person who hankers for news space. Colagreco doesn’t open restaurants with Gucci or work on an academy and conduct symposiums for chefs. Instead Colagreco, prefers to cook and allow his food and the dining experience to do the talking.
Raising the bar
This Saturday, for one night only (select) Mumbaikars – will get a taste of Mirazur’s food when Colagreco comes visiting. Marriott International in partnership with Culinary Culture have brought the chef to India as part of their Masters of Marriott programme. “I love travelling, discovering new places, trying different foods and meeting new people,” says Colagreco about the collaboration.
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This particular pop-up is all about raising the bar, as it’s all about the recreation of the entire Mirazur experience, down to the flatware and tables. Colagreco shares,“Guests can expect to enjoy some Mirazur classic dishes, such as Goat Cheese Ravioli and Smoked Eel and Caviar Tartlet. We have also created a special dish inspired by India, incorporating local produce and techniques,” Expectedly, he’s waiting to unveil the dish at the pop-up.
Culinary journey
In previous interviews, Colagreco has stated how he wanted to open his own restaurant outside of Paris, away from the pressures of the city. Menton is just that. “I first arrived in Menton in 2005 and fell in love with the abandoned building that was Mirazur at the time, I rented it for a ridiculously low amount, the early days were tough as I had no money and no experience of running a restaurant,” he says. The local community now inspires his menu and the district’s much vaunted citrus fruit. “The location has a very big impact on the food we serve. Mirazur is on the Italian-French Border on the Cote D’Azur, so my inspiration comes from the environment surrounding me, the mountains, the sea and my garden. I like to present to guests a menu designed as a journey, a sensory experience between gardens, mountains and the sea through its magnificent ingredients. I try to sublimate the product in order to keep its essence, and present it in its most beautiful form through the dish.”
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Colagreco who responded to questions on email downplays his achievements, “My route into cooking came at a time of crisis for me – I wasn’t sure which direction to take my life in and was at a crossroads, but sometimes this is what leads to the best opportunities. I studied for a literary baccalaureate and I tried to follow in my dad's footsteps as an accountant, but I just had no passion for either. My sister reminded me of how much I used to love cooking with my grandmother when I was a child. It was this memory that started my journey into discovering my true passion for cooking, and now I could not imagine myself being anything else.” In keeping with his slant towards sustainable cooking, Colagareco is excited to experiment with vegetarian cooking. “For me, a vegetable is much more interesting to cook with and has many more options than meat. Vegetables can be used raw, cooked, steamed, liquidised, puréed, confit, salty and even in desserts. The different ways are infinite and for a creative chef that is really exciting. Vegetables will certainly play a big part in our menu in India,” says the chef.
Tickets are priced at ₹30,000 (all inclusive) for the nine-course meal.A limited number of seats are open for reservation on March 7. More details at The St Regis Mumbai, 8657522954/ 61628422; insider.in