Chef Speak

Olive capital

If you love what you do, guests will see it on their plates. With a core philosophy like that, there is little doubt that every plate served from the kitchen is a gastronomic delight. Executive chef at Las Dunas Beach Hotel & Spa in Estepona, Josef Thomas Stork counts himself among the lucky humans who do what they like. And his speciality is the cuisine from the southern Spanish province of Andalucia, which with its vibrant Mediterranean stretch of Costa del Sol, contributes significantly in making Spain attract the second highest number of tourists globally. He spoke to Suman Tarafdar at Sevilla at Claridges, Delhi recently

For Andalucians, food is among the top priorities in life. It's a diverse region, but what is common is the 'liquid gold of Andalucia' - olive oil. We use it in everything - it is very healthy, even when deep-fried, and of course it is delicious. Spanish olive oil is the best as it is smoother than the varieties available in France, Italy or Greece. Spain has hundreds of varieties, including the Gorda Senana or the fat lady, a popular variant that is plum sized and often has accompaniments stuffed inside marinated cucumbers.

Along the coast, seafood is available in great variety - forming about 80 per cent of the meal, but from about 20-100 kilometres inland, we have a meat belt where meat dominates the cuisine. More inland, the proportion of meat to fish is more equal. In the meat belt, if people want fish, they go to the coast to have it, so it is not stocked locally! The warm waters of the Mediterranean, the cold waters of the Atlantic and the area where the two waters mix all have their unique seafood to offer, making the offering diverse. Tapas are popular in countless forms, as is gazpacho, or cold soup, which has evolved from being a farmer's food to one with hundreds of variations, using a number of ingredients. Vegetables like tomatoes and avocado (both fruits, actually), bellpepper, lettuce, potato and beetroot are all popular. Lemon finds its way into almost everything. As have history and geography - especially Arabic and South American influences, prominently visible in desserts and vegetables respectively.

Smells have their own role in Andalucia. All over the region, in summer the roundabouts are covered... in aromatic herbs - basil, thyme, rosemary and sage. Combined with the warm fragrance of achar or orange blossoms, which begins flowering in spring, the aromas make the ambience magical. And the food imbibes these flavours. Pescaito feito or fried fish is very popular - usually served as small mountains of fish seasoned with salt and flour. Fish like red mullet are cleaned, covered with flour, drained, fried and popped in the mouth by holding the tail. It's juicy, crunchy, hot and simply delicious. Like all Andalucian food!...