Iolanda Bustos He feels like a fish in water in the immense garden and orchard of More generousa rural boutique hotel located in Fonteta (Girona). He knows perfectly where the tomatoes or eggplants are, but also in what conditions … the elderflower is found. The same thing happens with peonies, the María Luisa plant or borage. “The latter is an ingredient in the cannelloni that we are going to eat today,” he explains.
Bustos (Palafrugell, 1976) is a passionate about flowers and plants. “It’s my specialty. I grow them and use them for cooking,” explains the man who is already known as the “flower chef”. Even though he opened his own restaurant in 2009, he realized that he wanted to go further and explain to the world that flowers are a fundamental element of gastronomy So, since 2020, he has dedicated himself to broadcasting, writing and advising others.
Of course, cooking continues to be part of his life private chef and at Mas Generos he surprises his guests with exquisite service that begins with a walk in the garden explaining everything that the flower and plant contribute to gastronomy and gathering the ingredients he needs to cook.
From the field to the table
“Having an edible garden is a way of life. I spend my time between the kitchen and the field and explaining all this to the client is, in my opinion, a way of offering them a unique connection, because I believe that this way they understand the experience much better. Flowers add flavor, color, texture and happiness to the dish. They are a fundamental seasoning which varies depending on the season we are in and which does not just decorate or offer a certain visual beauty”, he says.
And what does Iolanda Bustos offer for food? “What comes out of the garden,” he said. Her bad champagnemade from water, sugar, lemon and elderflower, is tasty, digestive and anti-inflammatory. She alone is able to transform the leaves of sage, lemon balm, rose petals, tupinambo and marigolds into a light tempura made from rice flour and water, or offering a sweet potato hummusrosemary, rementerola flower and marigolds.
The experiment continues with a few cannelloni stuffed with herbs (purslane, borage, amaranth…) sautéed with spinach, raisins and pine nuts. As a final climax, a brioche with strawberries macerated in oil and roses. It is not difficult to have a restaurant open to the public. “I love this garden. It was built eight years ago and the intention is to create a flower interpretation center. It would be the highlight of my career,” he concludes.
About The Author
