A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME

Thanks to Hollywood and certain celebrity chefs known for their murderous tempers (*cough*, Hell’s Kitchen), the general public tends to associate world-class Michelin-starred restaurants with copious amounts of swearing and volcanic dramas that take place behind the scenes of do-or-die dinner services. This is something Alex Burger, Chef de Cuisine of Aziamendi in Phuket, won’t necessarily deny. “From my time working with Chef Daniel Boulud, I can say that French kitchens do tend to be more angry and aggressive. However, here at Aziamendi, we’re not quite like that. Spanish, or, more specifically, Basque, kitchens tend to be quieter.”

And “quiet” is the term that best describes Aziamendi’s kitchen. Founded by three Michelin-starred chef, Eneko Atxa of Azurmendi Restaurant, there is none of the frenetic madness that grips Hollywood’s celebrity kitchens in Aziamendi. It is quiet, to the point of almost being subdued, with only the hiss of meat on the grill or gurgle of simmering broths serving to punctuate the low hubbub of conversation.

Yet, beneath Burger’s calm and collected demeanour lies an aura of command over his kitchen as he goes about deftly preparing Aziamendi’s signature dish of Truffled Egg. Even a minor hiccup, when one of the eggs prematurely burst, did little to ruffle Burger’s feathers. “It’s all about being well prepared beforehand,” Burger says as he swiftly moves to rectify the small speed-bump in his dinner service. “So, even when something unexpected happens, you still have everything under control.”

So, how did Burger, who hails from the San Francisco Bay area, end up meeting his Spaniard boss, a larger-than-life individual regarded as, not only one of the best chefs in Europe, but also the world? Like Atxa, Burger developed a passion for cooking during his childhood years as he helped his mother prepare family meals. In a similar vein, Atxa was heavily inspired by the humble yet hearty Basque country fare cooked up by his mother and grandmother. By the age of 14 and 15 for Burger and Atxa, respectively, they had both embarked on the quest to become professional chefs.

The journey that followed led Burger across the length and breadth of the United States and Europe, where he initially undertook an apprenticeship in Britain after graduating from culinary school in New England. From there, Burger wound up under the wing of Daniel Boulud in New York, hence his experience with angry French kitchens. He then travelled to Spain, where he ultimately met Atxa, who, at the time, had already garnered a formidable reputation with his first restaurant, Azurmendi, located just outside Bilbao, and with two Michelin stars already under his belt. “I was working in France when I was told to go to the Basque country in northern Spain to look for Eneko Atxa,” Burger recalls. “He was very much a ‘renaissance man’ of the culinary world and was starting a food revolution that would go on to sweep Europe.”

This marked the start of a successful partnership between the two. Soon after, Atxa decided it was time to expand his reach into South-East Asia and opened Aziamendi at the Iniala Beach House in Phuket in December 2013, with Burger being his man of choice to helm the project. Here, East meets West at a gastronomic crossroads as Atxa’s traditional Basque country cuisine is served alongside locally sourced Thai ingredients. “The Basque country has a deep-rooted culinary history,” says Burger. “Many of the people come from humble means, but they are creative in finding affordable ways of eating heartily. They have amazing produce and are very innovative at cooking. Chef Atxa’s objective is to continuously evolve this cuisine, and, here at Aziamendi, we are incorporating subtle Asian accents and flavours with traditional Basque philosophy. “

And while Phuket is near enough to Malaysia, being only an hour and a half’s flight away from KLIA, the epicureans among us will certainly be pleased to know Aziamendi will be arriving on the nation’s shores in the form of the pop-up restaurant, Aziamendi 88. This first of its kind pop-up will set up shop at the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur for 88 days (hence its moniker) from 22 July to 31 October, throughout which both Atxa and Burger will be present to oversee its operations. In fact, at press time, a team of chefs and service staff from Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur was at Aziamendi to study the ins-and-outs of the new menu to prepare for the big day. To further complement the dining experience, Wei-Ling Gallery will be partnering Aziamendi 88 to display contemporary art pieces created by leading local artists.

“Bringing a pop-up restaurant to a new country is a challenging undertaking,” says Burger. “With a permanent establishment, we have time to adjust and learn from mistakes; with a pop-up restaurant, we’ll need to bring our A-game from day one. Additionally, we’ll be dealing with new staff, suppliers, products and a different climate. There are so many factors to take into account. But this is what makes it a lot of fun. I’m very excited about opening Aziamendi 88 in Kuala Lumpur.” And, having seen Chef de Cuisine Burger in action, The Peak can say with confidence that Aziamendi 88’s arrival in Malaysia is a gastronomic event not to be missed.

For reservations, please contact +603 2380 8888 or email AZ88@mohg.com