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Published on September 17, 2007

Frenchman Romain Fornell is one of a rare breed - a man who does what he loves for a living. Fornell is a chef. But not just any chef. He co-owns his own eatery, the Caelis Restaurant, located at the Palace Hotel in Barcelona, Spain. He's still the youngest ever to be awarded a coveted Michelin star.

He's now 31 but knew at 14 his future was in food and wine. He pursued his dreams and today ranks among the world's most renowned chefs.

"It's a wonderful job," says Fornell. "I work with lots of people. It's also a job of liberty: I get to travel all around the world."

He was in Thailand for the World Gourmet Festival - Bangkok's contribution to international dining excellence, now in its eighth year. It sees some of the world's best chefs gather at the Four Seasons Hotel for a week-long celebration of food and wine and to share tips on creating award-winning cuisine. It was Fornell's first time in Thailand.

His dishes for the festival were foie gras yoghurt, chicken-lobster macaroni, and crumble with mascarpone and strawberry sorbet.

Just this small selection alone was evidence of Fornell's daring and spectacular culinary skills, re-inventing classic dishes and combining them with interpretations from Catalonian gastronomy.

Born in Toulouse to a family with Catalan roots, he says his "cuisine is based in my memory, in my grandmother's kitchen".

"In Périgord, pig was sautéed with truffles. Truffles were cheap and potatoes expensive. You had to know how to find the truffles and how foie gras is made, be familiar with fish, from a sardine to a sea bass.

"Without knowing the products you can't create something interesting," he adds.

At the festival Fornell's demonstration was delivered with humour and the end result had all the ingredients of a work of art, consuming time, creativity and skill.

"I try to adapt traditional Catalan cuisine with French technique. Spain and France share Mediterranean cuisine, but the Spanish use more tomatoes, olive oil and lot of vegetables and fish.

"Technique makes things easier and helps me to present food in a better way. It promotes looks and taste," he explains.

Fornell was awarded his Michelin star in 2001 but he's grown weary of being known as the youngest chef to get one.

"It's not a matter of ego or being the best; it is being able to enjoy creating meals people enjoy. It's a devotion.

"Before you get a television show or become famous there are years of peeling potatoes, scaling fish and learning the difference between a squash and a cucumber.

"You spend many hours in the kitchen and years creating a couple of dishes," he says.

He explains that with youth come fresh ideas and with age comes experience.

When Fornell was just 22, the aspiring chef was offered the chance to open his first restaurant in Lozère in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. It allowed him to develop his own style.

"I prefer simple stuff made with the best products in the market. Without a good product, you can't do anything. Technique won't save a bad product."

"I try to bring not only food but entertainment and warmth. At my restaurant, I want to give my customers a pleasant experience. That's why I cook like in my own home.

"But I don't cook on the weekend at home," Fornell smiles. "My wife cooks for me."

Tanaporn Tangcharoenmankong

The Nation