El Portal

A talk with Sergio Sierra

My obsessions are purely produce and flavour.

How has the way you cook evolved as your career has progressed?

Today, my cooking is much more direct and focused. I do not try so hard to surprise people; my obsessions are purely produce and flavour.

In Europe alone there are myriad types of edible mushrooms. Do you have a favourite?

I like all mushrooms but the best varieties for me would have to be saffron milk caps, porcini, king oyster mushrooms, Caesar’s mushrooms, chanterelles, Amanita ponderosa and black trumpets. Preparation will depend on the variety. I like to use mushrooms in carpaccios or sauté, grill and stew them or even fry them with Iberian pig fat and eggs. I love cooking mushrooms and eat them often.

Do you ever get the chance to pick wild mushrooms?

Growing up in Spain, I often went with my father to collect mushrooms. I still remember the smell of them before they were cleaned, and later when we cooked them on my grandmother’s wood-fired stove.

What makes Krug unforgettable for you?

For me, every glass is memorable because there is always a new sensation. Krug Grande Cuvée is a unique experience that can transform one’s perception of taste.