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Published on September 1, 2007

Witness his lyrical enthusiasm in the flesh, and you'll realise that the two can't be separated.

"I write my own lyrics and my own songs. I really like music; it's as important as my cuisine." Small wonder then that his dishes express such harmony and energy. Having learnt with the best, notably with Ferran Adrià and Pierre Gagnaire, Arola knows exactly how to conduct his kitchen skills to produce a symphony of flavours in his dishes.

His talent and creativity, however, never run out of control. He often repeats that "you can never think you are more important than the guest", and that's probably why his cooking remains so brilliantly simple. In fact, he likes to say that "[he doesn't] believe in garnish, and [doesn't] believe in more than three ingredients on the plate at the same time".

So where does Arola see himself in 10 years? "Maybe I'll be playing at CBGB, the home of underground rock 'n' roll in New York." Maybe, but a lot of food lovers would probably have a problem with that idea.