Ferran Adrià: "I'll give you €10 million if you do better than McDonald's at the price they're selling it for."

Escaldes-Engordany (Andorra)"I have a reputation for being politically incorrect because I say things that people don't dare say," said Ferran Adrià today in Escaldes-Engordany. The chef from Hospitalet de Llobregat received the honorary Andorra Taste Award and in his speech, he didn't mince his words when it came to sharing his vision of the world of gastronomy. Some of his reflections included that "we must distinguish between food and gastronomy: gastronomy is linked to quality, and a restaurant that has all its seafood frozen is not gastronomic."

Economic issues have long been at the center of Adrià's concerns, and he likes to point out two shocking figures: 6 out of 10 restaurants in Spain don't last more than five years. And only 10% have a business plan. He emphasized that a restaurant is a business and must be profitable. "I go to 250 restaurants a year. It's very hard to make a business that isn't at 70% or 80% employment. They're more trained than ever. There's enthusiasm and passion, but the numbers have to add up." And, in this sense, he praised a successful business model: "I'll give you €10 million if you do it better than McDonald's at the price they're doing it. It's very easy to make a wagyu burger," he said provocatively.

He also spoke about the support that governments should provide to the restaurant sector: "It was a mistake, mine too, not to talk about the economy at conferences. Last year Thailand spent 20 million dollars bringing people from all over the world. This year, in the 50 Best, there are 6 'in' restaurants. Besides, for Thailand, 20 million is not a lot of money.

He also touched on the issue of labor reform: "We are guilty of a legacy of working long hours. And now it's a very serious problem as a business model. Then we also have the rise in product prices and, finally, the tax burden." And that of the lack of staff: "A restaurant is in the service sector. Not even God wants to work in the service sector. Elite gastronomic establishments are still hanging on. I don't have the solution. It's a serious problem," he lamented.

The history of the gin and tonic

He also wanted to share what he calls "the history of the gin and tonic." According to Adrià, the classic gin and tonic is drunk at the beginning of a meal in a narrow glass. The fat one with lots of ice originated in San Sebastián and became fashionable because chefs were "more rowdy than they are now." Chefs like Juan Mari Arzak and Pedro Subijana made gin and tonics while talking about cooking. They would spend more than seven hours. "When the customers were selling, we started making the gin and tonic fashionable. In Spain and then around the world. I won't tell you what the business means now globally," he explained as an example of the sector's power. Or the paradigmatic case of Peru: "I put Peru on the map with Gastón Acurio. We presented it at the UN. In 2010, not even God knew Peru."

Finally, in gratitude for the recognition, he said that "awards should be enjoyed because life sometimes isn't so pretty." The chef is the fourth star of the kitchen to receive the Andorra Taste Award after Michel Bras, Gastón Acurio and Carme RuscalledaIn his case, as a child he didn't want to be a cook, but rather like one of the great geniuses of the ball: Johan Cruyff.