It's Friday, the weather is good, the train to Girona has gone reasonably well despite the delay, and when I arrive at the Fontané restaurant, located on the first floor of theEsperit Roca Hotel, in the Sant Julià castleI find myself in a brightly lit room, tables with white tablecloths, waiters and waitresses dressed in black trousers and jackets, and diners who have filled every table. There are entire families, couples, and colleagues, and I sit next to the large window that projects the green of Sants Metges Mountains onto the table.

Joan Roca says he doesn't celebrate his birthdays, but the day he turned 61 he will surely remember him. Yesterday in Leña restaurant in Barcelona by chef Dani Garcia There was an unusual density of chefs per square metre (71 Michelin stars in total). The aim was to pay an emotional tribute to Joan Roca, in the same way that the chef from Malaga had paid tribute to Ferran Adrià, Robuchon, Nobu and Arzak in Marbella. "I am not at the level of all the chefs to whom previous tributes have been paid," said the chef from Girona. In his usual modesty, he stated that the chefs present had "improved" their dishes. The tribute consisted of versions of 21 dishes created by El Celler de Can Roca. An ambitious menu that included creations from Disfrutar, Mugaritz, Atrio, Casa Marcial, Noor, Quique Dacosta, Miramar, Lasarte, Les Cols and Nandu Jubany, among others.