Having opened Amelia Restaurant in the romantic area of San Sebastián during Spring this year the fearless Chef Paulo Airaudo at the same time created San Sebastián Dinner Series; six collaboration dinners extraordinaire a year, each of two days, inviting a diverse range of interesting chefs to the majestic and heavily Michelin-accoladed Basque town tucked into the lagoons of Bay of Biscay.
Paulo Airaudo performed two nights of culinary excellence with Latin America’s Best Female Chef Kamilla Seidler in late-April, followed by magic cooking with a second culinary talent; Chef Jonathan Berntsen of “Danish Restaurant of The Year 2016”, 1*Michelin CLOU in Copenhagen, in June.
Now the ambitious Argentinean chef invites a third esteemed colleague; Executive Chef Owner and New Zealand-native Matt Lambert of 1*Michelin Nolita-hotspot The Musket Room in New York City.
The two chefs have previously cooked a delicious joined-menu together at Chef Airaudo’s former restaurant, the Michelin-accoladed La Bottega in Geneve, and a second time at Lambert’s praised restaurant in the heart of Manhattan.
In fact then Lambert’s dessert “Pigs Blood & Berries” from the first dinner reached the ten favourite recipes published by The Art of Plating in 2016. View that dish with recipe by following this link. See also photos and moments from the great and fun-loving dinner in Switzerland.
Now the two creative minds meet for the third time in a kitchen, and this time in San Sebastián where they’ll create a joint 10-serving tasting menu and blend their combined cooking experiences, passions and ideas.
Saturday September 16th and Sunday September 17th.
Berries Farmer’s Pie (Pigs Blood & Berries).
This is your chance to experience not only Airaudo’s culinary translation of his experience around the world into his new Basque surroundings, but to also see how he works with a kitchen defined by Lambert who’s personal style is known to mix his New Zealand heritage and flavours with the most advanced techniques in producing fresh and original dishes.
Dishes that caught the attention of the Michelin-inspectors who gave his delicious food a star just 4 months after opening The Musket Room.
Read also: Interview – The No BS Approach at The Musket Room.
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CHEF PROFILES
MATT LAMBERT
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Matt Lambert marries his New Zealand heritage with a modern, innovative culinary technique, practiced at The Musket Room where he is the Executive Chef and Co-owner. He has quickly become a rising star in the culinary metropolis, New York City.
Lambert’s cuisine draws inspiration from his Kiwi upbringing, now mixed with his experience of working in some of New York City’s best kitchens and passion for locally sourced produce. Under his leadership, The Musket Room received a highly coveted Michelin Star, just four months after opening.
Born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Lambert knew from a young age that he wanted to be a chef. After applying for his first job at age 11 (the chef told him to come back when he was of age), Matt first found himself in a kitchen at 14, washing dishes and getting to know the industry that became his life.
At 16, he was granted an apprenticeship with New Zealand restaurateur Garry Bates, an experience which led to his acceptance into the Culinary Program at Auckland University of Technology. In 1999, Lambert relocated to Wellington, New Zealand, where he worked in various restaurants whilst completing his degree at Whitireia Community Polytechnic.
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PAULO AIRAUDO
Paulo Airaudo was born in Argentina to a family of Italian immigrants and, since he was 18, has worked in many parts of the world; in Mexico, Peru and many European countries. In Europe he gained experience in restaurants such as Arzak (3*Michelin) in San Sebastián, The Fat Duck (3*Michelin) near London and Magnolia (1*Michelin) in Italy.
Together with Francesco Gasbarro he opened La Bottega – a forward thinking modern trattoria in the historic part of Geneva. Only four months later, in October 2015, the restaurant received its first Michelin star.
Now Paulo Airaudo has opened his first solo restaurant to open in the heart of San Sebastián, where his European adventure originally began.
Chef Airaudo elaborates:
“My family loves San Sebastián. I love San Sebastián. We’re happy here which is the main reason to build this restaurant. At the same time this magical town has the eye of chefs and foodies globally upon it, which in a way makes it possible for me to offer my food to the world.”
At Amelia, Paulo Airaudo does not only pay homage to future generations but also the past, as he cites his grandparents as a huge inspiration for his fascination with cooking.
After 14 years of cooking and seeking culinary excellence all over the world, the nomad chef has finally found his home – even naming the ambitious endeavour after his 2-year-old daughter, Amelia, which means this time he’s here to stay.
This time it’s personal.
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DETAILS IN SHORT
What: San Sebastián Dinner Series Vol. 3
Who: Matt Lambert (New York City) and Paulo Airaudo (San Sebastián)
When: Saturday September 16th and Sunday September 17th.
Where: Amelia Restaurant, Calle Moraza, 1B (Ex Prim, 34), San Sebastián
Menu: 10 servings collaboration menu at €95 per person.
Seating times: Reservations begin at 7.30pm until 10.30pm.
Reservations: Through RSVP (press link).
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ABOUT AMELIA
Amelia Restaurant is open for evening service from Tuesday through to Saturday with service beginning 19:30 (7.30pm), as well as for lunch on Friday and Saturday with service beginning 12:30.
The restaurant offers an international, informal but quality driven and modern approach towards cooking, beverages, decor and sound. Amelia serves a constantly changing 10-servings tasting menu at €85, a smaller 7-servings tasting menu at €70, offers a diverse and well-picked winelist, as well as a creatively composed beverage tasting to accompany Chef Airaudo’s menu.
Amelia Restaurant has 50 seats, including 14 open kitchen seats that is offered to diners either as a community seats or for dinner parties.
Amelia Restaurant
Calle Moraza, 1B (Ex. Prim, 34)
20006 Donostia-San Sebastián
+34 943 845 647
info@ameliarestaurant.com
www.ameliarestaurant.com
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The San Sebastián Dinner Series is created in collaboration with:
Bon Vivant Communications is a gastro embassy specializing in culinary diplomacy, dinner parties, cultural marketing, filmmaking and entrepreneurism as well as working close together with luxury hotels, gourmets festivals and bespoke concierges services.
The diplomacy speaks to a strong network of 600 journalists, bloggers and writers, as well as 3000 destination diners around the globe.
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Hungry for more? Have a look as this article on Amelia by Honest Cooking.
(artwork at Amelia)
Illustrations by Alex Teuscher, Signe Birck and private photo.
