Known for elevating local products to the highest expression at the award-winning Cenador de Amós, Jesús Sánchez now presents us with a more intimate and intimate side with his book Casero.
Far from the technical complexity that defines the haute cuisine of Cenador de Amós, a restaurant that boasts three Michelin stars and a Green Star, chef Jesús Sánchez pays homage to those recipes that evoke the flavours of childhood that have been passed down from generation to generation. We chat with the chef about this journey from the avant-garde to tradition, exploring the importance of not losing our culinary roots, a value that also permeates his work at the pinnacle of gastronomy.
Views of the Cenador de Amós restaurant. Editorial credit: Cenador de Amós.
Casero is a tribute to traditional cuisine. What was the inspiration behind this book? And what message do you want to convey to readers?
Undoubtedly, the most traditional cuisine is the one that inspires, the one we often make for the staff’s meals or, on occasions, with a festive touch. We try to make the reader see it as just that, a tribute to a way of cooking that has been with us all our lives.
The Casero recipe book, together with two special dishes: Sobao de anchovy and the lobster dish. Editorial credit: Cenador de Amós.
What kind of audience do you hope to reach with Casero? Is it aimed at experienced cooks, beginners or cooking enthusiasts?
It is a book for everyone, and we have not exactly thought of it for experienced cooks. Moreover, we didn’t want it to be very complex recipes, with ingredients that are difficult to find, but rather a book of culinary resources where you can find dishes that will surprise your family, friends…
Of the 70 recipes in Casero, is there one that has a special meaning for you and that you would like to share? Why?
I love to open the book with the anchovy ‘sobao’. It is a process by which we buy salted anchovies and clean them ready for consumption. It’s like when you buy a leg of ham (from a great Iberian ham), put it in a trap and clean it and then remove the slices.
Of course, you can also buy a vacuum-packed sachet of ham, but the experience is different. The same goes for anchovies. I would like more people to dare to take part in this ceremony, which not only relaxes me, but also excites me.
From left to right: Pan de Amós with puff pastry ice cream and pigeon. Editorial credit: Cenador de Amós.
Food waste in restaurants and hotels is one of the biggest problems of sustainability in gastronomy. Are you taking any measures to reduce food waste? Which ones?
We work in a small restaurant, and the team eats at work every day, and this problem is less of a problem, as we make the most of the raw material, giving it a usefulness in this sense. Even so, this waste does exist, and we in restaurants must be vigilant to ensure that it is minimised by means of control tools, making the most of it and creativity.
For example, we have made a dessert from the surplus bread we have in our bakery. Something very interesting that has attracted bakers interested in learning about this process to obtain a by-product.
The restaurant has its own vegetable garden to offer seasonal fruit and vegetables. Editorial credit: Cenador de Amós.
The restaurant Cenador de Amós has received 3 Michelin Stars and a Green Star. Do you think that the Green Star of the Michelin Guide should take priority over the traditional Michelin Stars?
I believe that the green star is gaining more and more strength, and as time goes by, this type of recognition will have a very high perceived value by the client. Moreover, the Michelin Guide is very aware of all this.
Considering that there is more and more drought, less harvesting and loss of local products, how do you see the future of gastronomy?
Over time, gastronomy has adapted to the conditions of its environment. For our part, what we are left with is the responsibility to promote the consumption of seasonal products.
We must value responsible cultivation and do our bit to try to shape a better future, as well as ensuring the survival of gastronomy, which we would hardly want to give up.
In 2022 the restaurant was awarded a sustainable green star. Editorial credit: Cenador de Amós.
Cenador de Amós is a reference in high cuisine. How do you balance innovation and tradition in your cuisine?
I feel that our innovation tastes like tradition and adds value to it. Technique, creativity… are at the service of the result and we like that result to connect with something recognisable, going deep into the essence.
In a gastronomic panorama as rich as that of the peninsula, what makes Cenador de Amós unique?
All the restaurants are unique in themselves. We have our own identity and way of doing things. But, in addition, we have implanted in our team the possibility that the customer gives us: to sit at our table and ‘make him feel’.
IN PRIVATE
What does success in high gastronomy mean to you?
Feeling satisfied with the work and the team.
Who have been your biggest influences in the world of gastronomy?
I think that the person who has influenced me most in gastronomy has been, without knowing it and without knowing him, my grandfather Amós. There is a lot of his character in me, and also, I think that, in a way, I am here to fulfil a dream that he could not materialise.
When you’re not cooking, what do you like to do?
Improvise and sing.
Do you have any professional dreams or goals that you have yet to achieve?
You always have to keep dreaming. What I have learned over time is that dreams should be focused on happiness, your own and your loved ones’ happiness. Also, dreams don’t have to be a showcase for the ego.
