'World's finest restaurant' El Bulli to close permanently

The Telegraph ^ | 2/13/2010 | Harriet Alexander

[1010RD]

Me too. Seems if he could just charge a little more...

[EDINVA]

The story referred to the chef and his staff spending the 6 months the restaurant is not open doing ‘research’ on new and exotic cuisine. Even if he pays his chefs that minimum wage, he is paying them and paying the rent, utilities, taxes etc. on the restaurant property, insurance and what have you. His expenses continue for those six months while there is no income at all. So you can basically halve all the income from the six months the restaurant is open.

It read more as if he was closing because of the stress based on diners’ expectations than his bottom lie. Another poster said he made money on his books, not the restaurant. If it’s not fun any more, why reopen?

[terycarl]

oh great...now where can I get lambs brains and sea urchins?????just when you develop a craving, the joint closes.....thanks a lot

[luckybogey]

El Bulli has a cool website....

http://www.elbulli.com/

History (PDF)(85 pages Print version)
http://www.elbulli.com/historia/version_imprimible/1961-2006_en.pdf

[Gene Eric]

>> Instead, after the last diner is served in December next year...

I think he meant desert.

[EDINVA]

yeah, every time I have that craving I end up with peanut butter and jelly. sux to be us.

[jackibutterfly]

OMG!! WHAT is that???? Yuck! That’s really gross.

[VanShuyten]

A chocolate cookie/pastry, with hazelnut and lemon verbena sauce. Sounds pretty good.

[ari-freedom]

pastrami on rye. And now you’re not getting any :P

[goldstategop]

Its was one of the world's great restaurants. And the price is more than justified by the food, which is presentation level quality. If you like gourmet food, this is where to dine.

[sergeantdave]

“:lambs brains with sea urchins and sea grapes”

I’ll miss the lamb brains, but with liberal heads exploding around the world we can now find a plentiful alternative.

[Hot Tabasco]

Only open 6 months out of the year? No wonder he’s losing money........

[aruanan]

He says it was losing half a million euros a year -

So how do they lose half a million euros on a restaurant? They don't charge enough to cover expenses?

[Popman]

lambs brains with sea urchins and sea grapes

Honestly, I don't think I'd pay a .50 cents to eat that.

[luckybogey]

The Telegraph article is misleading. Per El Bulli’s press release:

“Based on this approach, the agenda of elBulli for the coming years will be the following one:

1) In 2010, elBulli will open from 15th June until 20th December.

2) The opening calendar of elBulli for 2011 will be released during September 2010.

3) elBulli will remain closed to the public during 2012 and 2013. This period will be devoted to thinking, planning and preparing the new format for subsequent years:

a. In consequence, this will allow elBulli to have two creative centres: elBullitaller, currently located on Portaferrissa Street in Barcelona, and elBulli restaurant itself in Cala Montjoi.

b. During this time all the know-how about elaborations, techniques and styles acquired after 30 years of creative research will be analysed, and the results of said work will be compiled in a comprehensive and thorough encyclopaedia.

4) elBulli will open again in 2014, constantly challenging the possibilities of the concept of a restaurant, based on the following criteria:

a. Research will be prioritized over production.

b. Each season will be different in terms of opening dates and times, capacity of the restaurant in terms of diners, staff, etc.., going beyond the pursuit of innovation that el Bulli has been undertaking ever since the decision was made, among other things, to open only for 6 months, offer only one sitting per day and cancel the standard menu.”