L’Algadir del Delta
Located in the very heart of the Delta del Ebro Natural Park, at the foot of the rice fields, this modest restaurant has recently received the green Michelin star. Why? For its strong commitment to sustainability, for its policy of local products, for the way it manages its waste, for the cultivation and use of its organic garden…
Todo eso es Algadir del Delta, un hotel y restaurante gastronómico, de simple factura, de tradicional menú, enraizado en lo catalán, en lo Mediterráneo, y con las ideas claras dentro y fuera de carta.
Joan Capilla, owner and executive chef of the restaurant tells us more about this green project:
Hello Joan, what does the color green mean to you?
A parte de ser mi color favorito, y los colores de mi club de rugby, para mí es vida. Representa el ecosistema, una forma de vida y un cambio que tenemos que realizar urgente para que nuestros hijos no se queden sin este precioso mundo que nuestros antepasados nos dejaron.
Your specialty is rice. Do you have a favorite to eat or prepare?
I love rice in every possible way. You could make me fall in love with a rice dish! I think that the “sea and mountain” recipe is where I am best at, both eating and cooking it. But above all, seeing the diner enjoy it. And look, it is one of the most complicated dishes to cook!
How do you manage the waste produced in L’Algadir del Delta?
We have a strict policy regarding waste management. Organic waste goes to compost in our garden or to the regional composter. Almost all glass is returnable. We generate very little waste, almost nothing. We have changed plastics for film, bags that can be composted, we give a second life to cooking bags, and, above all, we demand that suppliers bring us the product in bulk.
I would also like to highlight our waste plan; a protocol where we reuse it to make garums, kombucha, orange pulp for ice cream, etc.
Recognitions always produce satisfaction -Bib Gourmand, Gastronomic Hotel, etc.-, how did you feel about the green Michelin star?
I would say that, together with the birth of my daughter, it was the happiest day of my life. I have no words to describe it. A recognition to all my team, especially to my right-hand man, my father Batiste, who at 80 years old is side by side with me in the rice preparations; it will be very difficult to find a work colleague like him!
When and how did you decide to bet on sustainability in your business?
In 2006 I started the project of writing l'Algadir and I saw that the Natural Park of the Ebro Delta was in danger: scarce sediments, little water, etc. So I designed Algadir as sustainably as possible with what I learned from my humble grandparents, who due to poverty in the Delta already managed supplies, reuse, etc. In addition, I began to train in this area.
Do you have any hobbies outside of cooking?
I love sports and traveling, but I don't have time for anything. At least in February I usually rest and I can go to see the Six Nations rugby tournament.
Does living and having your world in a rural environment make it easier for you to meet the SDGs?
Yes, a lot. We are currently working on 16 SDGs in l'Algadir. And the one I am going to put more emphasis on in the coming years is the gastronomic culture of our children. I would like to be in all the schools in the Delta so that our children understand the fabulous gastronomic culture we have, eradicate childhood obesity, and processed food, and teach that, with local food and traditional recipes, they will enjoy gastronomy.
In what part of your project could we apply the word “craftsmanship” as understood by glù?
For me, craftsmanship would mainly be provided by suppliers, these fishermen who go out to fish every morning and bring me fresh fish from the La Ràpita fish market every day; or those oyster producers who grow, collect, and clean them one by one, and then I open them, cook them on the grill and present them on a ceramic plate made by artisans from our territory; or the duck supplier, who takes care of them, talks to them, plays music for them so that they are happy and I can cook them easily...
Our previous protagonist, Estudio Baelo, left an open question for the next one. It is this: “What is a utopia for you?”
I have never thought about utopia. But I have thought about the road to Ithaca, about learning from day to day, where we grow and become stronger, where we fall and get up.
A dream would be to go back to being that happy young man, full of dynamism, and with people around him who made my project flow. There would be no need for medicines and everything would be a party of emotions and happiness.
Do you have a favorite spot in Catalonia (other than the Ebro Delta) where you can get lost?
How difficult to choose... I love Catalonia, I'm in love with this region. I can get lost from Banyoles to Esterri d'àneu, or in some alley in my beloved Barcelona.
Who do you see yourself with in 25 years enjoying a plate of rice with a glass of Terra Alta wine?
I hope that day comes! I would love to sit down with my wife Cynthia and my daughter Bertha. To be able to eat with them and for Bertha to follow in my footsteps in promoting the Ebro Delta in the world. And for her and her friends to have decided to stay and work in the area.
Can I ask you to leave us a question for the next protagonist?
Yes: Do you know the Delta del Ebro Natural Park - the largest aquatic habitat in Catalonia, with a diversity of environments and more than 350 species of birds?
