"My standards are extremely high.
I fail constantly.“
"Welcome to my restaurant.
My name's Juan Amador.“
Catalan and Basque dishes meet French haute
cuisine,
combined with Asian and Austrian elements.
The Restaurant Amador in Vienna has just earned
its third Michelin star, making it Austria's
only three-star establishment.
"What the Oscar is to an actor, that's the
third star to a chef,
because there's nothing above it.
It'll always be the most important, most emotional
moment by far that you can achieve as a cook.
Almost the whole team cried for joy.
That was pretty impressive - and it was moving.“
He always strives to use the very best of
ingredients from all over the world.
"And this is from Brittany - or where's it
from?"
"That's a pikeperch from Lake Neusiedl in
Burgenland -
about a forty-minute drive from here.
Normally, it should be firm with red gills,
and it shouldn't really smell like anything."
"Nowadays, much of what you get is from aquaculture.
Nothing against aquaculture - it's good for
sustainability.
But for the taste, it's a very different story.
They're fed, so they're relatively lazy.
They get fat, and the taste is completely
different."
He places great value on remaining true to
his direction and building his own profile
instead of chasing trends.
"Now, we're making one of our classics: Miéral
pigeon.
Miéral's the breeder in Bresse, France.
We prepare it with purple curry, mango and coconut."
Unlike many other chefs, Juan Amador sticks
with the tried and tested.
Miéral pigeon has been on his menu for years.
"Coriander cress.“
"Imagine going to a Rolling Stones concert
and they don't sing: 'I can’t get no satisfaction'.
The classics are what people want.
Our guests come from around the world.
Recently, we didn't have the pigeon on the
menu, and one person said:
'I came all the way from Korea, and you don't have the pigeon!'
It's important."
Juan Amador began cooking in restaurants at
age 16.
After twenty years, he opened the first establishment
of his own.
"We have our own handwriting - our own personality.
You're always hearing about author's cuisine.
It's like with music: your band has to have
its own style or shape or develop one."
"Today, we'll be making a little snack for
our guests here in the restaurant.
Here's a potato peeling.
We scraped it out, boiled it, and then we
dried it.
Then we fried it up a little, and it puffs
up a bit - like puffed rice.
Then we made whipped potatoes with the rest,
seasoned with chives, scallions, creme fraiche,
sour cream and, of course, salt and pepper.
And we filled the potato with that.
Here, we've got Beluga caviar.
And here, we've got finely chopped chives
- and it's done!
Magnificent, isn't it?"
Juan Amador especially enjoys experimenting
with new ideas.
One of his biggest influences is Ferran Adrià
- often associated with molecular gastronomy.
"That gave me a push.
I'll never forget it.
It was in Spain, 1996, with Ferran Adria in
El Bulli.
I was already a chef with one star and 17
points in the Gault Millau guide.
I ate and then stood up and said 'I can't
cook'."
But he's proven that, indeed, he can, beyond
any doubt.
This is the third time one of his restaurants
has earned three Michelin stars.
"You can only be satisfied if you just do
what you enjoy.
That's why I like the kitchen, and I like
the restaurant -
because we get feedback within seconds or minutes."
Juan Amador, a German with Spanish roots,
has brought his own distinct culinary style to Austria.
But by no means has his journey come to an
end.
