As part of the annual Sani Gourmet – Savour the Stars event, which has been held for 17 consecutive years honoring gastronomy as a Fine Art, we journeyed through the edible narratives of Spanish chef Paco Morales at the Elia restaurant of the Porto Sani hotel. By the pool, through an 8-course menu featuring selected signature dishes harmoniously paired with French champagne and carefully chosen wines from Italian and Portuguese vineyards, we experienced a complete culinary journey of high gastronomy.
Spanish chef Paco Morales is a visionary, a postmodern artist of taste who challenges the norms of contemporary times. His love for his homeland, his desire for discovery, his passion for the culinary arts, and his bold approach to combining innovation with tradition are examined and analyzed as a gastronomic “case study.”
At just 43 years old, he has earned titles such as gastro-archaeologist, gastro-chronicler, Culinary Indiana Jones, and a representative of avant-garde Spanish gastronomy. His numerous accolades, his position at #82 on the “The Best Chef” list, and his 3 stars in the Michelin Guide seal his journey, his focus, and his ever-evolving culinary perspective. However, what truly sets him apart is his relentless.
Translation:
Chef Paco Morales Recreates Historical Documents
Specifically, Paco Morales, the chef at the 3-star restaurant Noor, draws his culinary inspiration from the history and culture of Andalusia, whose capital during the caliphate of Abderramán III transformed Córdoba into the most cultured and advanced city of its time. Collaborative research efforts with documentarians, historians, archaeologists, and designers have shaped the universe of Noor and are woven into the narrative told by the chef’s creations, reflecting each era individually.
Chef Paco Morales has a deep knowledge and understanding of Andalusian gastronomy. He dedicates time to research, recovers historical documents, and preserves cultural heritage through innovative ideas and modern techniques, as high gastronomy demands. One could say he is a relentless researcher who directs short films and turns them into edible narratives that are masterfully presented on the plate.
The dishes he crafts evolve into edible, historical short films with narratives inspired by stories he discovered in old books. “My cuisine is not nostalgic. For me, the history of the 10th and 11th centuries, the study of ingredients from that time, and their modern interpretation are extremely important. I draw inspiration from the ancestors,” he explains, adding, “The taste of memory is far more important than technique. For me, modern cuisine is not significant; it’s just verbose. For me, cooking is like painting; it’s art with emotion. The inspiration and execution of the menu are crucial. We are at the wonderful Sani Resort, and we want our guests to enjoy it and go to bed happy. That is the most important thing of all.”
8-Course Signature Flavors by Paco Morales
The flavors have clear Mediterranean references, featuring familiar ingredients that evoke a sense of familiarity, making the experience immediate and understandable. Even if someone is unfamiliar with the narrative, they can imagine scenes and travel through taste to royal and humble meals, to agrarian landscapes of the Iberian Peninsula, to times when locals cared for strangers by offering them the best they had, even if it came from chicken broth, sheep’s cheese, squid, herbs, orange, honey, and olive oil.
As a result, each of his dishes becomes a self-contained scene in the story of humanity, with a plot, beginning, middle, and end. The technical perfection and select ingredients work quietly, allowing the guest to experience the bold combinations with an explosive aftertaste. Paco Morales, true to his role as a researcher-screenwriter, weaves flavors together harmoniously and creates the right conditions for the taste buds to experience the climax of the ingredients’ collision at the end of the experience.
Paco Morales’ Kitchen is Feminist
Paco Morales’ team meets the strict standards of excellence and follows him on all his journeys. Leading the kitchen is the young Italian chef Paola Gualandi, and we wanted to learn more about his choice: “Even though my team includes both men and women, without women, there is no kitchen. My kitchen is feminist. At home, I have my mother and my three sisters. You know, without women, there is no life. Throughout the history of the world, women bring life.”
The Secret to the Success of Sani Gourmet and the Culinary Excellence in the 27 Restaurants of the Sani/Ikos Group
It’s not just the unique environment and facilities of the award-winning Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts of the Sani/Ikos Group, where the concept of hospitality (philoxenia) takes on a new dimension, offering a transcendent experience for visitors. It’s the attention to detail and the continuous search for new trends dominating the international culinary scene. This task is undertaken by experienced and esteemed gastronomic professionals of the Group, who all year round search for new trends, products, and experiences worldwide. “Gastronomy is a window to the world,” notes Sani Gourmet Manager Dimitris Tozakidis, introducing the large team of chefs from the Sani/Ikos Group who share this common vision: Nikos Papastergiou, Corporate Executive Chef of Sani Resort; Thanos Kappas, Corporate Executive Chef of Ikos Resorts; and Nikos Chatzopoulos, Culinary Consultant of the Group. And the results prove them right.
