Dani García's style of cooking is akin to that of a scientist, but only superficially, because he is and remains a cook who uses the scientist's knowledge for his taste experiments. He is comfortable with molecular cuisine; nowhere else can he live out his unusual ideas in the same way. With his unique recipes, the Spaniard is well on the way to following the "traditions" of his compatriots such as Ferran Adriá and Joan Roca, and setting new benchmarks in the kitchen.

 

He made a rather traditional start, though, to his training as a chef de cuisine. At just 18 years of age he attended La Cónsula catering school in Churriana, Málaga. Then he served his apprenticeship in the restaurant Martin Berasategui, under the chef and proprietor of the same name. Even then, García attracted attention because he was the first chef in Spain to experiment with liquid nitrogen. For those without a degree in Chemistry, this translates to cooking at -196°C. Shaped by San Sebastián, the Basque country, and a superb teacher like Berasategui, García realised the world of cookery's boundless possibilities. His next sojourn was at Tragabuches restaurant, which gained a Michelin star under his guidance. The Calima restaurant, within the Hotel Sol Meliá, opened its doors to the top chef in 2005. The Calima has García to thank for turning it into a very high quality and innovative restaurant in a unique setting.

 

But what distinguishes Dani García's cuisine from that of other top restaurants in Andalucia? It combines traditional dishes with avantgarde techniques. New compositions, such as foie gras and goat's cheese with caramelised green apples, cherry gazpacho with soft cheese, or sangria with fruit pearls frozen in dry ice are just a small sample of the unique culinary creations that originate in Calima's kitchens.

 

If Dani Garcia were a scientist, he would have earned a Nobel prize, because how many chefs can claim to serve nitrogen popcorn with olive oil and raf tomatoes? Even if García has not won this award, he has got what he deserves – in 2002 he was voted Chef of the Year by the Gastronomic Academy of Málaga. He added two more Chef of the Year titles in 2005, and the following year he was crowned Chef of the Future by the International Academy of Gastronomy. Calima experienced its finest hour in 2007, when it was favoured by Michelin's inspectors and rewarded with a star.

 

Ask the Spaniard about his personal recipe for success and he replies, "Success follows if you work professionally and honestly, but to create something that is really new you must also have good ideas." Judged by the latter criterion, García will certainly never be lacking in success.