Elena Arzak is a top chef of the renowned Basque restaurant Arzak in Donosti (San Sebastian). Arzak studied with her father, chef Juan Mari Arzak and runs the restaurant alongside him. She is the fourth generation in her family to work at the family restaurant, which began in 1897 as a wine shop and tavern.

She also studied with Chef Ferran Adria, who calls her “one of the most important chefs in history,” according to author Robin Keuneke. In the late 1970s, her father Juan Mari Arzak and a group of chefs revolutionized the art of cooking when they created a new culinary concept, a movement known as New Basque Cuisine. She continues to promote the movement which is focused on using local, seasonal ingredients while also incorporating innovative techniques and presentation.

Keuneke, a celebrated natural foods chef and health author, interviewed chef Elena Arzak for her new book “The Iberian Table.”

Robin Keuneke: In general, Elena, what type of diet do you follow?

Elena Arzak: We are all different, so there is no one ideal diet. I believe that our needs change as we age, too. Someone who is very young and physically active will need to eat many calories. Some people have allergies.

I am 47. When I was very young, I ate a lot of meat. Now I am older, so instead of meat, I eat more fish. In general, I will say that I think women need to eat more fish. This is for the omega-3. Besides, it is normal for Basques to eat a lot of fish.

Keuneke: I must ask you now, what makes the Basque people so excited about cooking?

Arzak: (Laughing) No one can explain why, but we love to eat!! And so we cook. Basques begin cooking when we are very young. We teach our children to cook, and for me this is important. But also it is our way of life to be attached to the seasons here, so we love local products, which of course reflect the changing seasons. It is exciting and defines our way of life.

Elena Arzak’s Confit of Potatoes

Ingredients
3-4 potatoes
Salt
Olive oil
Chives, cut in small pieces (optional)
Onions, sliced lengthwide (optional)

To begin, slice the potatoes very, very thin and place them in a shallow casserole, salted, with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil to cover. Take care not to use too much salt. I like chives and fresh onions cooked with the potatoes, so you might want to add them too.

Cover and roast in a 200°C (350˚F) oven for 30 minutes. Of course, if you slice the potatoes thicker, you will need to roast them for more than 30 minutes. Be sure not to let the oil get to a high temperature. After the potatoes are cooked, it is very important to strain away the oil. At this point, if one likes, one can garnish the potatoes with minced garlic.

Buy Keuneke’s book The Iberian Table from Amazon.

More information about The Iberian Table.