10 Details Behind The Mirazur And Ferran Adrià Collaboration
Mirazur entered its 20th year with few achievements left to prove. Mauro Colagreco’s restaurant in Menton holds three Michelin stars and was named The World’s Best Restaurant in 2019. Rather than marking the anniversary with a traditional retrospective menu, Colagreco invited world-renowned chef Ferran Adrià to examine Mirazur’s dishes, techniques, and ideas over the past two decades.
The collaboration combines a new anniversary menu, a research exhibition, and several long-term projects tied to the restaurant’s history. Here are the key details behind the partnership that’s bringing two of the most influential chefs together on the French Riviera.
Ferran Adrià Became the Curator Instead of the Guest Star
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Ferran Adrià’s role involves reviewing menus, techniques, and milestones that helped define the restaurant. Adrià approached the project using the research-focused methods he developed after El Bulli closed in 2011. His involvement centers on identifying what shaped Mirazur’s development to select material for the anniversary project. Adrià’s participation helped provide an outside perspective during the review process.
The Experience Includes Around 30 Small Plates
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Mirazur describes the anniversary menu as a constellation of approximately 30 small plates. The format allows the restaurant to present a broad selection. Because the menu contains many courses, the kitchen can revisit multiple periods of the restaurant’s development. The structure supports the project’s retrospective nature.
The Research Started Before Guests Reached the Table
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The anniversary experience begins with a five-part exhibition created by Mirazur. The display explains how the menu was developed and documents the research process behind the collaboration. According to the restaurant, the project involved roughly nine months of preparation. The exhibition highlights the dishes selected for review, the reasoning behind their inclusion, and the methods used to reinterpret them for the anniversary menu.
Menton’s Citrus Fruits Still Have a Starring Role
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Mirazur is located near the Italian border in a region known for citrus, herbs, flowers, and Mediterranean produce. Colagreco’s cooking has consistently drawn from those ingredients, so citrus is a recurring element in many dishes connected to the restaurant’s history.
El Bulli’s Spirit Appears in the Details
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Adrià’s involvement naturally evokes El Bulli, the influential Spanish restaurant he led for decades. The anniversary menu includes elements inspired by El Bulli’s approach to snacks, kitchen cocktails, presentation, and experimentation. Rather than recreating famous El Bulli dishes, the project combines Adrià’s interest in innovation with Colagreco’s focus on Mediterranean ingredients, flowers, citrus, and produce from Mirazur’s gardens.
Mirazur’s Gardens Shape the Whole Philosophy
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Mirazur’s cooking is closely connected to its agricultural program. The restaurant works with biodynamic and permaculture gardens covering approximately 12 acres, supplying ingredients that influence menu development year-round. Seasonal produce, biodiversity, and local growing conditions continue to play important roles in Colagreco’s approach to cooking.
The Restaurant Already Had Global Recognition Before the Collaboration
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Mirazur entered the anniversary project as one of the most decorated restaurants in the world. It holds three Michelin stars and was named The World’s Best Restaurant in 2019 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Those achievements placed Colagreco among the most prominent chefs in modern fine dining well before Adrià became involved. The collaboration brings together two figure with significant influence.
The Price Turns the Meal Into a Destination Experience
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The anniversary menu starts at €530 per person (about $615), with wine pairings ranging from €350 to €950 (roughly $406 to $1,102). The pricing places the experience among the most expensive dining options on the French Riviera. The cost reflects the multi-course menu, exhibition, service, and limited collaboration between Colagreco and Adrià. Reservations are expected to attract diners traveling specifically to Menton for the anniversary event.
The Celebration Continues Beyond the Menu
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The anniversary project extends beyond the restaurant’s dining room. Mirazur has announced plans for a commemorative book documenting the restaurant’s 20-year history. The celebration also includes alumni dinners recognizing former chefs, collaborators, and team members who contributed to the restaurant’s development.