Video: Cooking and Creativity

In a public lecture at Harvard in December, Ferran Adrià described the development of techniques in use at his restaurant, elBulli—and how he became a chef who takes chances.

This Web extra supplements "The Harvard Center for Gastrophysics?

Ferran Adrià is head chef at elBulli, the restaurant near Barcelona that Restaurant magazine has rated best in the world for three years running, and four times in all. He came to Harvard in December to give a public lecture—and to sign an agreement for an ongoing collaboration with Harvard scientists.

Video by Mark Felton

 

Watch this video for:

• images of culinary creations from the elBulli kitchen
• an excerpt from Professor Roberto Kolter’s introduction of Ferran Adrià—the would-be pro-soccer player turned chef
• Adrià’s discussion of how he creates melon “caviar”—spheres of liquefied melon inside a thin gelatinous shell 

 

(Translating for Adrià is professor of microbiology and molecular genetics Roberto Kolter; the woman at the left of the screen is Adrià's wife, Isabel Pérez.)

Related topics

You might also like

How AI Is Reshaping Supply Chains

Harvard Kennedy School lecturer on using AI to strengthen supply chains

This Astronomer is Sounding a Warning on ‘Space Junk’

As debris accumulates in low Earth orbit, the danger of destructive collisions continues to rise.

Understanding AI Vulnerabilities

As artificial intelligence capabilities evolve, so too will the tactics used to exploit them. 

Most popular

Is the Constitution Broken?

Harvard legal scholars debate the state of our founding national document.

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

Harvard Students, Alumna Named Rhodes and Marshall Scholars

Nine Rhodes and five Marshall scholars will study in the U.K. in 2026.

Explore More From Current Issue

Four young people sitting around a table playing a card game, with a chalkboard in the background.

On Weekends, These Harvard Math Professors Teach the Smaller Set

At Cambridge Math Circle, faculty and alumni share puzzles, riddles, and joy.

A busy hallway with diverse people carrying items, engaging in conversation and activities.

Yesterday’s News

A co-ed experiment that changed dorm life forever

A stylized illustration of red coral branching from a gray base, resembling a fantastical entity.

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.