September 2, 2023
The sound of the waves of the Mediterranean Sea, the aromas of the beach and forests of Calella de Palafrugell will be the perfect setting for the tribute dinner that the French chef -but Catalan by adoption- Jean Louis Neichel will receive, in recognition of his great contribution to Catalan cuisine. The event will take place on September 2nd, and the location will be the Hotel Alga 4*, located just steps from the idyllic Port Bo beach, and owned by the Nicolazzi family since 1960.
This well-deserved gastronomic tribute is born from the hands of chefs Pere Malagelada (El Càntir, from Hotel Alga 4*) and Jordi Morillo, disciples of Neichel (in fact, Morillo was head chef at his namesake restaurant for almost a decade). The two, with the collaboration of the hotel's head chef, Adrià Pastells, and the participation of Neichel himself, will be in charge of preparing and serving a unique, highly gastronomic and historical feast. In fact, the menu "Tribute to JL Neichel" is inspired by the most emblematic dishes of the French chef's cuisine.
The tribute dinner will be highlighted by a gastronomic menu. It will start with a Peach (or Watermelon) Gazpacho with Palamós prawns, one of the dishes that Neichel adapted in a visionary way three decades ago. The Alsatian chef himself recalls that he eliminated the strong taste of garlic and softened it with fruit, "to adapt it to the palates of my diners, people who wanted to eat well but not strong flavors," he recalls.
The second dish will be the legendary Lubina Mario, which Neichel named 41 years ago in honor of the birth of his son. It is a dish that remained on his menu for decades. A sea bass with mustard and caper sauce, accompanied by Spätzle pasta, typical of Alsace. Next, a Lamb Loin with aromatic herb crust and cep parmentier will be served, also one of the most requested specialties by the customers of the Neichel restaurant over the years.
But surely, what his diners will most identify with is the dessert cart. Not in vain, Neichel was the first chef to introduce it masterfully in a restaurant. On this occasion, a selection of the sweets that lasted the longest on the establishment's menu will be offered at the table, such as a chocolate and mocha marquise, a raspberry bavarois, a classic vanilla and Grand Marnier ice cream, and the classic thin apple tart, a specialty that Neichel cooked in honor of his mother.
Jean Louis Neichel (Strasbourg, 1948) is now more Catalan than Alsatian, not in vain, he has spent more years of his life in Catalonia than in France. Passionate about Mediterranean cuisine and the Catalan pantry, he was responsible for bringing "nouvelle cuisine". He was also a pioneer as the owner of his own restaurant; he was a precursor of liquor, dessert, and cheese carts; and he revolutionized the haute cuisine sector by popularizing tasting menus.
Trained in the best kitchens in France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany, he landed in the kitchen of El Bulli in 1975, thanks to its owner, Dr. Schilling. A year later, he obtained the first Michelin star, which he kept until he left to open his own restaurant. From 1981 until January 2016, with the help of his wife Evelyn Fuertes, he continued to revolutionize Catalan cuisine at his namesake establishment, located in the Pedralbes neighborhood (Barcelona). Neichel always had a Michelin star, and for 19 years, he had two.
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