There may be something in the water in Spain, but we think it might be the food instead. The Michelin-starred chefs visiting the Expo can probably provide some proof.

Spain Pavilion's Commissioner General Maria Tena welcomes three world-class chefs to the Expo.
This week, Jorge Bretón, Jorge de Andrés, and Mauro Colagreco arrived in Shanghai for the Spanish Pavilion's Valencia week. As a special Expo program, the Pavilion's New Gastronomy Fiesta brings their world-renowned chefs to Shanghai each week until the end of the Expo to give the city a chance to taste some of its finest gastronomic creations. With greetings from the Spanish Pavilion's Commissioner General Maria Tena and Valencia representative José Villanueva at their press conference yesterday, the culinary artists remarked on what they hoped to get out of their time in Pudong. "I hope to be able to combine Shanghai and Valencia's dishes together in a delicious way," said Argentinian guest chef Mauro Colagreco. As 2009's Chef of the Year, Colagreco regularly holds down the fort at his own restaurant Mirazur in the Côte d'Azur.


Mauro Colagreco gets a tour of the Spanish Pavilion with international communications manager Patricia Ortega Dolz of the Gastronomy program.
From a family of eight siblings—four of which went into the culinary arts—Jorge de Andrés has been surrounded with gastronomy for years. But the top chef at Vertical hopes to venture into new waters during his short trip to China with "Shanghai 2010," the trio's menu. "I would like to combine certain dishes to bring out the similarities between Spanish and Chinese cuisine," said de Andrés.


Tena with Valencia rep José Villanueva and Colagreco.
La Sucursal head chef Jorge Bretón is an established master at Spanish food, including gems from his menu like foie micruit tartuffo. But he admitted that even 30-40 years of restaurant history in his family still leaves him eager to find new audiences for his dishes. "I hope the Chinese people will be able to enjoy not just the food but the process of the culinary arts as well," he said.


Jorges de Andrés and Bretón ponder their menu while Tena speaks at the Spanish Pavilion's gastronomy press conference.
From now until Sunday, they will showcase original dishes, such as foie turron and Monastrell wine sponge cake, from the Valencia region both at the Expo site as well as the Gastronomic Restaurant Acqua at the Gran Melia. Between the three of them, they've got three Michelin stars, and they're ready to show Shanghai why.

To be honest, the chefs couldn't have picked a better week to come. Adrenaline from Spain's World Cup win still ran high as they spoke on very little sleep. "Last night, we were screaming too much, so my throat doesn't feel good now," said Bretón. Hopefully, the excitement from the win will lend itself to the kitchen as well. To quote Calogreco—"Long live Spain!" We're all for that, as long as it comes with sponge cake.

Selections from the menu...

Appetizer: Foie turron and oyster with pear jelly, shallot cream and watercress
Starter: Almond cream with lobster and little cuttlefish sautéed with tomato compote, cuttlefish ink, chorizo gravy and flowers
Fish: Tuna filet with garlic and red pepper emulsion and sea bass with smoke sauce and green sprouts
Meat: Lightly fried rice and pork belly with onion and pan fried mushrooms, Iberian ham
Dessert: Monastrell wine sponge cake with impregnated pear and wine caviar and saffron cream, almond emulsion and orange sorbet

The impromptu World Cup celebratory dessert the trio whipped up after Spain's win.


Breton perfects his creation with careful detail.


The three Michelin-starred chefs come together to celebrate the World Cup with--of course--food.

DETAILS

What: The New Gastronomy Fiesta

Where: Grastronomic Restaurant Acqua at the Gran Melia

When: July 12-18

Tel: 3867-9777