This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
This month, we continue to delve into Taller Arzuaga, the place where local produce meets innovation to create unique dishes. These dishes are dreamt up by Víctor Gutiérrez, who brings his particular way of understanding gastronomy.
‘Taller’s cuisine is fresh, local and well-travelled. But, above all, it’s cuisine with lots of flavour. Because flavour is everything in cuisine; it’s the memory that stays with you. While it’s true that cuisine is for the eyes, it’s also for the taste buds. That’s why we make the most of local produce, to look for a world-inspired, fresh flavour. The surroundings are important: the vineyards, the vegetation, the animals. And knowing how to make the most of local produce to create our menu.’ These words from Víctor Gutiérrez sum up part of the spirit of Taller Arzuaga, which is closely linked to the winery and the La Planta estate in particular. The 1,500 hectares on the estate include 150 hectares of vineyards, the ancient holm oak and olive grove and a reserve that’s home to wild boar, deer and mouflons. It’s a unique place that is also reflected on the Taller Arzuaga menu.
‘Our reality is the La Planta estate, where we have our garden and a large number of animals that we take advantage of for our cuisine. The garden covers over 3,000 metres that are looked after by Ángel, a very special person who takes care of every detail. And we’re always in contact to give him seeds or to suggest ideas that we want for our style of cuisine,’ explains the chef, going deeper into two of Taller’s fundamental ideas: fresh and local.
Bodegas Arzuaga’s garden is treated entirely with natural products and is green energy certified by Iberdrola, which guarantees that the energy consumed comes exclusively from renewable sources. This means that the vegetables and flowers it produces are fully organic. The garden has turned into a place of reference where every last detail is looked after so that Taller’s cuisine can make the most of each of its products.
To conclude, Gutiérrez sums up the spirit of Taller’s cuisine in three words: ‘fresh, local and innovative’. Three words that mean a lot and outline the soul of Taller Arzuaga, a unique place that encapsulates all the innovative spirit of Arzuaga.