ÁNGEL LEÓN, FEATURED IN THE SEVENTH SEASON OF CHEF’S TABLE ON NETFLIX, WHICH PREMIERES ON 27 NOVEMBER
The chef of Aponiente restaurant is the third Spanish star in the series and one of the great international personalities chosen for this new season.
- The new season of the eight-time Emmy-nominated series premieres on 27 November.
- Ángel León becomes the third Spanish to take part in one of Netflix’s most famous shows, which has been in the kitchens of more than 40 chefs from around the world
- This seventh season also features the stories of Kwame Onwuachi (Tatiana, in New York), Norma Listman and Saqib Keval (Masala y Maíz, in Mexico City) and Chutatip Suntaranon (Kalaya restaurant, in Philadelphia).
- The episode dedicated to León features world-renowned chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, as well as Benjamín Lana, General Manager of Vocento Gastronomía, Madrid Fusión and San Sebastián Gastronomika. Patricia Mateo, Managing Director of Mateo&co, participates as Co-Executive Producer of the series.
- One of the peculiarities of this chapter is that it has been directed by Brian McGinn, producer and creator of the series. The North American knew Leon’s story intimately and did not want another director from his team to direct this episode.
- ‘I always watched the episodes of Chef’s Table at home and I never thought I would be lucky enough to be able to tell our story and that of Aponiente one day’, said chef Ángel León with great emotion.
Los Angeles, September 4th. 2024. Finally, the wait for foodies worldwide is over. Netflix has announced the premiere date for the seventh season of the award-winning documentary series Chef’s Table, with Chef Ángel León of Aponiente restaurant (***Michelin and *Green Michelin) as the only Spanish chef to be featured. The eight-time Emmy-nominated series premieres on 27 November.
Ángel León becomes the third Spanish to take part in the series, which has already featured Jordi Roca and Albert Adriá. There are currently 34 episodes of Chef’s Table available on the platform, spread over six seasons. The new edition of Netflix’s flagship culinary show, which has been in the kitchens of more than 40 chefs from around the world, also features the stories of Kwame Onwuachi (Tatiana restaurant in New York), Norma Listman and Saqib Keval (Masala y Maíz in Mexico City) and Chutatip Nok Suntaranon (Kalaya restaurant, in Philadelphia).
The episode dedicated to León features world-renowned chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen and considered one of the 100 most influential people according to Time magazine, as well as Benjamín Lana, General Manager of Vocento Gastronomía, Madrid Fusión and San Sebastián Gastronomika gastronomy congresses. Both give their testimonies in the series on the importance of Ángel León’s mission, his role as a pioneer and the key contribution of his findings and research for world gastronomy. Patricia Mateo, Managing Director of Mateo&co, participates as Co-Executive Producer of the series.
The content, filmed in July 2023 in Cádiz over three weeks, includes scenes shot at Aponiente restaurant, in the marshes of the Bay of Cádiz Natural Park, at the Tabanco El Pasaje, at Antonio restaurant in Zahara de los Atunes, at Taberna Casa Manteca, at Charo’s churros stall (an endearing local character in El Puerto de Santa María), at the municipal market in Jerez de la Frontera and at the facilities of the tuna company Petaca Chico. Throughout the tour through the history of León, you can appreciate emblematic and historical dishes of the “chef of the sea” such as rice with plankton, plankton and fig leaves escabeche, sea shank, Inés Rosales del Mar cake, sea charcuterie or sea ham, as well as the technique of cooking with salt.
‘This is something that I didn’t expect, that we didn’t expect as a team. I always watched the episodes of Chef’s Table at home and I never thought I would be lucky enough to be able to tell our story and that of Aponiente one day. It is a unique opportunity to share with the world what we do and what we think; and also to be able to show the way of life in Cádiz, its people, its culture. It was very intense, with hard days of 12 or 15 hours of filming at the same time that we were in the middle of the high season, so it has been a huge effort for the team, taking advantage of times when the restaurant was closed, which are few during the summer. But it was definitely worth it. I would like to thank the Chef’s Table team for their professionalism and high quality work, Netflix for supporting our story and our project in the south of Spain, the Aponiente crew for their efforts and for always being on the ball during filming, and finally, all the people who helped us to make this dream come true’, said Ángel León, notably excited to see his story and that of his project reflected in the series.
One of the peculiarities of this chapter is that it has been directed by Brian McGinn, producer and creator of the series. The American was familiar with the story of León, having visited it for the first time in 2019, and he did not want another director from his team to be in charge of this episode.
For Brian McGinn, telling the story of Ángel León was an exciting opportunity: “Ángel is a rare breed of creative chef. He draws his inspiration not from other chefs or restaurants, but from his singular passion: the sea. At Aponiente, he turns discarded fish into charcuterie, grinds microscopic crabs to make bioluminescent soup, and turns whale food — plankton — into a riff on a classic Spanish rice. Yet despite this, he remains relatively unknown to most of the world.» For the director, it was “an exciting opportunity to introduce Angel’s story to a larger audience and celebrate someone whose work goes way beyond Michelin stars.»
This episode also features Adam Bricker ASC, as Director of Photography. Bricker is responsible for the photography of some of the most iconic episodes of Chef‘s Table, as well as the HBO Max series Hacks, and has several Emmy nominations for his unique photographic style. Together with McGinn, Bricker chose a tonality of ochre, yellows and blues, as well as late afternoon to sunset light to bring warmth and colour to the ‘chef of the sea’ episode.
The chapter filmed in Cádiz focuses especially on Ángel León’s discovery of ‘marine rice’, and on the chef’s frustration at not having obtained funding or collaboration from any NGO to be able to cultivate it massively and thus contribute to fighting hunger in underprivileged areas and countries.
This ‘sea cereal’ represents the discovery of a new superfood due to its nutritional properties and numerous health benefits. For the first time in history, the Aponiente team has managed to cultivate Zostera marina, the plant from which sea cereal comes from, an angiosperm that grows in the sea, in a controlled manner. This pioneering project began in 2017, and also contributes to the recovery of this endangered and native species, generating greater marine biodiversity and enriching the marine environment to combat the consequences of climate change. This discovery is yet another contribution by León and his team to the use of the great larder that is the sea.
Chef’s Table provides a valuable perspective on the main culinary references and movements that are transforming the global scene. With stunning cinematography, an original soundtrack, which is composed from scratch for each of the episodes, and a collection of stories from the world’s most renowned figures in haute cuisine, Chef’s Table has established itself as one of Netflix’s most addictive food series, taking viewers into the lives, minds and kitchens of a series of acclaimed and successful international chefs.
Since its launch in 2015, the documentary series created and produced by Brian McGinn and David Gelb, offers a unique insight into the chefs featured, revealing details of their lives, talents and passions that influence their cooking style, and sharing a compilation of the most irresistible gastronomic experiences around the world. The series also includes scenes from the places where each protagonist lives, as well as characters that complete the experience of this unique gastronomic and cinematic journey. And from 27 November, the story of Ángel León and his groundbreaking vision of the sea and gastronomy will join this acclaimed film series, capturing global attention.
About Aponiente Restaurant and the Chef Ángel León
***Michelin, *Michelin Green for Sustainability, #72 The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, Most Sustainable Restaurant The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 and #13 The Best Chef Awards 2023.
The Aponiente restaurant is located in a former 19th century tidal mill. In the heart of the Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park in El Puerto de Santa María, the area is inhabited by marine life that is subject to constant change, given the local climatic conditions and the rhythm of the tides.
Led by chef Ángel León, Aponiente is not just a restaurant, but a project that seeks to reactivate and recover the surrounding environment, restoring and creating an ecosystem for future generations and re-establishing the natural balance, caring for the natural capital of the estuaries and marshes. A benchmark in sustainability, it promotes the defence of the environment through gastronomy. Sustainable fishing and the use of species that have historically been considered discarded products are the hallmarks of the gastronomic proposal of the ‘chef of the sea’, together with innovation, creativity and honesty.
Useful information
Address: C/ Francisco Cossi Ochoa, s/n El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz
Bookings: reservas@aponiente.com
Opening hours and days: Tuesday to Saturday from 13:00 to 23:30h
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PRESS CONTACT
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Vanessa Kroop
vanessak@mateoandco.es M. +34 608 849809