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Ángel León, known as 'el Chef del Mar' or the ‘Chef of the Sea’, has built a global reputation as a culinary master of maritime gastronomy. Inspired by the deep and reverent relationship between the people of Cádiz in southern Spain, where his three-Michelin-star restaurant Aponiente is located, and the Atlantic Ocean, he combines artistic flair with scientific rigour to create a cuisine that consistently surprises and inspires.
Understanding the oceanic environment, and the traditions that surround it, leads León to explore the possibilities of a seafood cuisine that is grounded in the past, and yet open to new futures. Every part of the fish becomes something useable and edible, otherwise unknown and ignored molluscs and sea flora become prized ingredients in a cuisine that is as otherworldly as the bottom of the ocean floor.
Here León chooses five of the most important dishes he’s cooked at Aponiente since opening in 2006.
Shrimp omelette
“The difficulty involved in renewing and modernising a classic, traditional dish, this creation was challenging to realise, especially because of what it means for the people of the Bay of Cadiz."
Plankton rice
“A dish that represents my philosophy. The incorporation of a new sea ingredient for human consumption also creates something undeniably delicious.”
Potatoes with squid (top)
"A return to tradition, renewing a seafood stew and giving the cuttlefish a privileged position among our favourite ingredients. A revitalised traditional Spanish dish that exemplifies the old and the new."
Pickled fig trees
"Back to dry land with the bounty of the flora that surrounds the mill. This dish comes from a tree that gives leaves that have been used in gastronomy since ancient times (the Greeks wrapped fish in fig leaves before placing it on the embers)."
Stew
"The Andalusian stew par excellence is always used with humble meats and rarely incorporates legumes with fish stews. This revisitation of a classic of the Andalusian kitchen pays respect to tradition, while being brave enough to play with it, to create something new."
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