A Decade In One Meal

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

Sitting on the open air terrace of the restaurant that bears his name, super chef Martin Berasategui looked past a bust of himself propped in a corner and then over some rolling fields, and pronounced that his dishes are art. They are creations, he said, designed not just to be eaten, but to be judged, savored, examined, re-examined, and remembered.

Such culinary declarations are not unusual here outside of San Sebastian, in the north of Spain.This is Basque country,one of the most competitive culinary universes on the planet and one that has a galaxy of Michelin stars to prove it. In San Sebastian, which has a population of 180,000, there are 15 Michelin stars – one for every 12,000 inhabitants. New Yorkers are poor by comparison, with 160,000 people forced to share each star.

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