Once again, the D.O.Ca. Rioja turns Madrid into an international gastronomic destination, bringing on this occasion the proposal of chef Merlin Labron-Johnson, from Osip restaurant in the British county of Somerset
- In just a few days, the second In Residence Session by Rioja will set off, the pop-up event with which renowned international chefs transfer their gastronomic experience to Madrid for a few days.
- On this occasion, Rioja will bring chef Merlin Labron-Johnson from the restaurant Osip in the UK, just like it did at the beginning of the month with the team from Kasama in Chicago, and will do again in November with the chefs from Kadeau in Copenhagen.
- The chef and his team will move from Osip, a small restaurant precursor of the “farm-to-table” movement located in the British town of Bruton and awarded with one star and one green Michelin star, to offer its gastronomic proposal in Madrid between May 8th and 12th.
- The diversity of the wines from Rioja will allow pairing and elevating the dishes of international haute cuisine, thus turning the three restaurants into embassies of Rioja in their countries.
- Rioja shows its connection with the international gastronomic markets such as the Uk, the US or Denmark, where its presence is notable.
- Once again, the pop-up, launched annually by the gastronomic consultancy firm Mateo&co, will be located in the space Semilla Food Studio, in José Ortega Street and Gasset 67 of Madrid.
- Only nine services will be offered for 16 people each, at a shared table. The cost of the menu is 150€ with pairing of Rioja wines.
Madrid, April 29th 2024. After the success of the pop-up Kasama In Residence by Rioja, held between April 10th and 14th, Rioja once again turns Madrid into a world gastronomic destination, promoting the annual event In Residence as the main sponsor. On this occasion, Rioja will bring chef Merlin Labron-Johnson, founder and owner of the restaurant Osip, located in the heart of Somerset (United Kingdom).
Wednesday May 8th will mark the beginning of Osip In Residence Session by Rioja, which will bring to Madrid the international cuisine of the British restaurant Osip, and whose gastronomic proposal will be available in Madrid for five days. The chef and all his team will move to the Spanish capital city on the occasion of the pop-up, which will run from May 8th to May 12th, with daily lunch and dinner services. They will offer a single set menu that will be served at a shared table, at a price of 150€ including a pairing of wines from Rioja.
“I am so excited to be bringing Osip and the team to Madrid next week. It’s a great opportunity for us to share what we have created here in Somerset. On my recent visit to Madrid I was blown away by what I saw in the beautiful markets, and I can’t wait to get cooking with some amazing Spanish produce” has declared Labron-Johnson as he embarks on his next adventure.
Osip is the first solo adventure that chef Labron-Johnson inaugurated in 2019 in Bruton (UK), and in just over a year was awarded with one Michelin star. A small restaurant precursor of the “farm-to-table” movement that has led many chefs of haute cuisine back to the countryside and their origins.
Embodying his farm-to-table cooking philosophy and inspired by the tables d’hote of France, Merlin lets the quality of the ingredients available guide his cuisine. A proposal made from ingredients grown by themselves being what arrives at theirdoor every morning what they serve for lunch and dinner. A menu that changes like the weather, with the arrival of various products from the garden, the flora and fauna that enter and leave the season and the constant changes in the kitchen. At Osip, they welcome guests with six simple and unpretentious dishes that highlight the products that Merlin cultivates in his nearby garden. The In Residence Sessions Osip menu will be paired by Rioja wines that will showcase their diversity and excellence.
This 2024, In Residence brings with it a special edition in a more casual format, with shorter pop ups, for several days, but with a more extensive programme that covers the whole year. Ivan Orkin was commissioned to premiere this season last March, and in April chefs Timothy Flores and Genie Kwon brought their Michelin-starred Kasama restaurant to the city.
#OsipInResidencebyRioja, and all other sessions will take place in the Semilla Food Studio space, located on José Ortega and Gasset 67, in the neighborhood of Salamanca, Madrid. This will be the main venue for all In Residence Sessions in 2024.
Chefs from all over Europe and the U.S. will be the protagonists of the calendar of the coming months for the In Residence Sessions, which bring to Madrid Michelin proposals from other parts of the world including the United Kingdom, by the hand of the restaurant Osip, or Denmark, with the chefs of Kadeau next November.
Osip In Residence
Everything you need to know
Dates
May 8th-12th
Times
Lunch and dinner on May 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th
Lunch on May 12th
Location
Semilla Food Studio
Calle José Ortega y Gasset, 67
Price
150€ (pairing included)
#InResidence brings the best chefs to Madrid
#InResidence once again turns Madrid into a meeting point for lovers of haute cuisine. Merlin and his team will this time be based in Semilla Food Studio, in Madrid, joining the last nine editions of the project:
2024 – #KasamaRamenInResidencebyRioja, chefs at Kasama in Chicago, first Filipino restaurant in the world to be awarded with a Michelin star
2024 – #IvanRamenInResidence, chef and owner at Ivan Ramen, best ramen shop in New York City
2023 – #Jakob&EthelInResidence, head chefs at Faviken restaurant in Sweeden until its closing, and Klosterle (Austria)
2022 – #BoragóInResidence, Most Sustainable Restaurant in the World in 2021, Most Sustainable Restaurant in Latin America in 2018, nº 4 in Latin America in 2018 and nº 29 in the World in 2023 for The World s 50 Best Restaurants.
2019 – #HisaFrankoInResidence, 2 Michelin stars, Best female chef in the world in 2017 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and number 21 on this year’s absolute list.
2018 – #MirazurInResidence, with 3 Michelin stars, by chef Mauro Colagreco, which currently ranks first as the best restaurant in the world according to The World’s 50 Best.
2018 (Feb-March) – #CasaMarcialInResidence, with Spanish chef 2 stars Michelin Nacho Manzano.
2017 – #ColombiaInResidence, with the top 4 Colombian chefs on the list 50 Best Latin America 2017.
2016 – #AlineaMadrid, with 3 Michelin stars, by American chef Grant Achatz.
About Merlin Labron-Johnson
Merlin grew up in Devon and was always fascinated by the agriculture around him. At 16 he realized that cooking was his passion and left school to follow his dream. He moved to France and worked in the kitchens of the Albert 1er restaurant, with two Michelin stars in Chamonix as well as the In De Wulf restaurant in Belgium, and continued to hone his skills throughout Europe before returning to the UK.
In 2015, Merlin opened the Portland restaurant on Great Portland Street in London, which only nine months after opening, when Merlin was still twenty-four years old, got its first Michelin star. With the seasonal product and the quality of the ingredients by flag, the cuisine of Merlin is based on its classic French training, with a great sensitivity to modernity and innovation.
In 2019, Merlin opened his first solo adventure, Osip, in Bruton, which was awarded a Michelin star just over a year later, and which embodies the farm to table philosophy where the quality of the ingredients available guides the kitchen and the daily menu. Early 2021 saw Merlin open The Old Pharmacy, a wine bar and bistro in the heart of Bruton. Named after the 16th Century building in which it’s housed and inspired by the épiceries of rural France, The Old Pharmacy is open all day, for coffees in the morning and a rustic menu inspired by the flavours of southern France and northern Italy.
Throughout his career Merlin has supported and championed a number of charitable and altruistic initiatives, including cooking regularly at the Refettorio Felix centre for homeless people, contributing to the Chefs’ Manifesto in support of the UN’s sustainable development goals, as well as partnering with Help Refugees by travelling to refugee camps across Europe to cook for those in need.
About Rioja
Rioja, the oldest Qualified Designation of Origin in Spain, dating from 1925, and the first to receive the Qualified Designation in 1991, is positioned as one of the Designations of Origin in the world that offers greater guarantees regarding the quality and authenticity of its wines, thanks to the demanding regulations and self-control developed by its Regulatory Council. This coupled with its pioneering character, its commitment to innovation and sustainability, have been decisive to achieve the leadership position that Rioja wines occupy in the market, both nationally and internationally. Rioja represents almost 40% of the value of wines with Designation of Origin in Spain and is present in 129 countries. With more than 66,000 hectares, the DOCa Rioja consists of three areas with different wine characteristics – Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental -, covering 144 municipalities that extend the Denomination, with 600 wineries and more than 14,000 winegrowers. A plurality that guarantees different types of wines, which value the singular origin and diversity, always with a high quality guaranteed.
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