The Roca brothers' film 'Cooking Up a Tribute' will premiere at the 65th Berlin Film Festival

The Roca brothers' film 'Cooking Up a Tribute' will premiere at the 65th Berlin Film Festival

- The BBVA-produced documentary shows world's first gastronomic tour

- The full-length film will screen on Feb. 10, followed by discussion with the Roca brothers

- Joan Roca, chef of El Celler de Can Roca restaurant: "We have enjoyed an extraordinary professional and personal experience, which has been intellectually rewarding and allowed us to grow as a team."

- The film is a tribute to American cuisine, which "has contributed so much to European and international gastronomy," the Roca brothers said.

MADRID, Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Cooking Up a Tribute,' produced by BBVA, is an epicurean film in which brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca, owners of El Celler de Can Roca restaurant, aware of the continuing need to introduce their cuisine to the world and in their ongoing pursuit of innovation, make an unprecedented decision in the world of haute cuisine: to close their restaurant for five weeks and go on a road tour.

The documentary-type film, directed by Luis Gonzalez and Andrea Gomez, recounts a tour that was organized with the conviction that cuisine and gastronomy are a driving force behind social and economic development. With emphasis on social dimension and sharing the principles of commitment, responsibility and global reach, the Roca brothers also searched for the best ingredients in each region and the local producers provide them.

This tour was an unprecedented experience that last summer traveled to six cities (Houston, Dallas, Mexico City, Monterrey, Bogota and Lima) in four countries in the Americas to prepare nearly 50,000 dishes for more than 2,700 people. Up to 56 new and different dishes were created and adapted to Texan, Mexican, Colombian and Peruvian cuisine. Some 200 ingredients and 29 wines were used for each menu in each country.

In addition, the Roca brothers trained more than 7,000 cooking students and selected 13 of them to receive a training scholarship at the kitchen of El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain.

'Cooking Up a Tribute' is the latest and most daring venture of Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca. The trio has always understood that together they can always achieve more, forging new paths for cuisine through a commitment to innovation without forgetting their origins, territory and roots. The three brothers are the soul of El Celler de Can Roca, a restaurant with three Michelin stars and recognized in 2013 as the best restaurant in the world. It currently stands as No. 2 in 'The World's 50 Best Restaurants Guide 2014.'

Joan Roca: Chef of El Celler de Can Roca

Joan, who 15 years ago was recognized as Chef of the Year by the Spanish Academy of Gastronomy, is the oldest brother and head chef for savory dishes.

"For us, this crazy decision has meant weighing the anchor of our restaurant for the first time in search of the mild weather of the South and making our dreams come true in real gastronomic paradises. We have enjoyed an extraordinary professional and personal experience, which has been intellectually rewarding and allowed us to grow as a team."

Josep Roca: Maitre d' and sommelier

Josep Roca is the maitre d' and sommelier of El Celler de Can Roca. According to the specialized press and reviews, there is an "almost infinite ideal bond between dishes and wines, and the nuances of each dish are also infinite."

"This tour has been a real challenge, a bold decision, an act of courage draped in responsibility and code of ethics. It was an opportunity to continue to learn, seek inspiration and be true to the training we have received and we can share with so many catering students in the places we visited," explained Josep Roca.

Jordi Roca: The best pastry chef in the world

In 2014, Jordi was named best pastry chef in the world by Restaurant Magazine. With the best possible school in his own home and learning from his elder brothers, Jordi stands out for the interpretations and interactions between the senses in his desserts.

"With enthusiasm, willingness to learn and much modesty, and above all, as a professional and personal challenge, we have taken our entire team to another continent. Latin America has a dream store cupboard of fruit, spices and, obviously, the best cocoa in the world. It's been a real inspiration."

More information and press material available on http://www.bbvacellertour.com

About BBVA

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, it is the largest financial institution in Mexico and it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Its diversified business is biased to high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. BBVA ranks among the leading Euro zone banks in terms of ROE and efficiency. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes.



SOURCE BBVA

BBVA

CONTACT: Corporate Communications, Tel. 646 038 826 / 617 308 782, comunicacion.corporativa@bbva.com; For more financial information about BBVA visit: http://accionistaseinversores.bbva.com; For more BBVA news visit: http://prensa.bbva.com

Web Site: http://www.bbvacellertour.com


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