Edward Gonzalezwho is in charge of the special effects of Sublimotion and partner of the Chef Paco Rocerotold us in detail about one of the most innovative experiences in Spain, carried out in the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza.
1. Obligatory question, how did the idea of Sublimotion come about?
Vega Factory, our creative studio, has been organizing all kinds of events and live shows for more than 20 years.
In 2012, we organized a music festival in Marbella called Starlite Festivalit was there that i met Paco (Paco Roncero). He was in charge of the catering and we were in charge of the production of the entire festival. That’s how we started our friendship. One day Paco invited me to dinner at his workshop, located in the Casino of Madrid. It was an incredible space, a place where technology and gastronomy were already present in a clinic gastronomic, where the chef sat at the table to explain, with the help of projections, aromas and different effects, the process of his dishes. At the end of dinner, Paco He asked me what I thought and I told him my feelings and my intuition that we could evolve it into a show, a new format of performanceturn the table into a stage and the diner into the only protagonist.
We sat both teams down to work and began to develop what is today Sublimate. We unite talent from many professions, composers, engineers, illustrators and craftsmen. A delicious job, which allowed us to guess what Sublimotion is today. Honestly, it is not a format that we have invented overnight, it has undergone a long process of evolution, which has allowed us to realize how far we could go, going beyond the limits that were established, to offer a differentiating experience that transports the diner to another level of entertainment.
2. Once the project was defined, where did you start working? What are the foundations on which it rests?
There is no strictly established way of working. Sometimes the scene is created from a plate, but other times it is a musical theme that inspires everything else.
We do have a clear emotional line for the show, how it should evolve, what stimuli it should arouse and at what time it should be done. At first it was very complicated. Haute cuisine has very defined times, but so does the show. Getting to align these two moments to enhance the pleasure of sitting at the table, that was the objective and the reason for Sublimotion.
3. Was it easy to convince the Hard Rock Hotel to join the project?
In 2014 we had the first meeting with the Palladium group, owners of the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza. It was a very special moment, Paco and I explained the project to them and in the first half hour they already knew that we would do something great together. On that same trip we went to see the location and closed the deal. Crush at first sight.
before falling into Ibizawe present the project in marbella. We were looking for a city with luxury tourism, a destination that was known internationally.
I think that Ibiza has been the best place to develop and grow a concept like Sublimate. The island is a magical place, a showcase for adult entertainment worldwide.
4. Such an innovative and ambitious project, didn’t it give you vertigo?
I’ve been working live all my life; my family was already dedicated to the organization of concerts and shows. Doubt is something that is always present, but it is usually overcome by perseverance, work and more work is what paves the way.
I knew this format would go far from the beginning, I had all the ingredients for it. Of course it was a huge effort, a lot of perseverance and sacrifice, but I can’t complain, when you love what he does, that’s it!
5. How is the creative process? The dish is thought of first and the scenery is set up or a recipe is thought that fits into a scenario…
There is no written formula. The creative process is as modular and flexible as the product itself. Forming a multidisciplinary team opens up a space full of edges, eager to be inspired by any detail.
Imagine what nights were like at the Stork Club, a clandestine of the New York of the 40s, it can be an incredible starting point. Trying to adapt the ingredients and the way of serving them, to a piece of music that fascinates us, is another perfectly valid formula.
We are now working on a new show, an experience that will premiere in 2022 and Ibiza.
6. What must a chef have for his recipe to be in Sublimotion?
We have invited many chefs to be part of our show. Paco He made a gesture of enormous generosity and offered this possibility to many of them so that they would know the path we were traveling. All of them are marked by a common denominator, a lot of talent, the desire to continue advancing, an open mind and an awakened intuition.
7.How would you define Sublimotion?
Although it sounds pretentious, I believe that this format is a new “performing art” based on the action of eating in a group. A performance that happens in the best possible scenario, the table and all its possibilities.
Still, I am convinced that Sublimate it is still a means, not an end. It is a living product that evolves day after day, making us imagine new paths and alternative possibilities. For a guy like me, who has worked for so long in live communication, it is an opportunity, a delight. A research capsule that opens a window to the future, that shows us other paths that will have to be traveled to discover spaces that are yet to come.
8. Is it easy to convince a Michelin chef to have his recipe in Sublimotion?
Sublimotion is a very attractive setting for any chef, it is a space where the dishes are presented in a surprising way, the staging possibilities have no limits and this is very attractive for any cook.
9. The public has the perception that the restaurant is expensive, but how would you like the public to define Sublimotion?
I don’t know if it is the most expensive, what it can tell you is that it is the most advanced. What you feel and experience in Sublimotion, you can’t get anywhere else. For me it is a new stage art and I also believe that this format still has a lot of development and possibilities.
10. What has been the most difficult dish/staging to carry out?
This year’s dessert scene was probably the most complex to develop. It was about creating a perfect choreography between gastronomy, rhythm, service, audiovisual, special effects and staging.
11. It seems impossible that Sublimotion could surprise more and then you hire a cyberchef, how does it enrich the experience?
This moment is a unique development that offers us many sensory possibilities between the real and the virtual. It is not only an end, it is also a means to achieve another effect. Wow In the next scene, the diners do not see what is happening in the room while they are wearing virtual reality glasses and this allows us a spectacular scenographic change effect.
12. Who has been the most illustrious diner?
In these seven years, a multitude of celebrities from different fields, music, gastronomy, cinema, design, literature, sports, have passed through Sublimotion, but for me perhaps who I have a better memory is of the American singer and actress, Cher. A woman so multifaceted that she has won all possible awards, Golden Globe, Emmy, Oscar, Grammy. A star with capital letters.
13. Have you included any Mexican dishes?
Sure, it’s one of this year’s destinations. We pay homage to the Day of the Dead and Paco recreates several dishes of the most traditional Mexican cuisine.
14. What do you think of Mexican gastronomy?
It is one of the richest in the world. Mexican cuisine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ancient, full of richness, contrast, tradition and history.
At home we are lovers of Mexican culture and total fans of its gastronomy. Enjoy their tamales, enchiladas, tacos, homemade stews, Sinaloa chicken, tortilla chips. It is gastronomy that provokes the act of sharing and dynamizes the social action of sitting at the table, outrageous!
15. Have you had Mexican clients?
They are not the most usual public, but we have had several dinners with Mexican clients, they are enjoy and they bring a lot of energy to the show. Always a pleasure to welcome you!
BY ARMANDO OROPEZA
COORDINATION: ROSA RUIZ