I am reading The Sorcerer’s Apprentices at the same time as the rather significant elBulli restaurant serves its last supper.

The book is a behind-the-scenes look at a restaurant that has changed the face of modern cuisine. It describes how mastermind chef Ferran Adrià ran the ‘world’s best’ award-winning establishment and, in the process, trained the next generation of culinary stars.

On Saturday night the stars certainly shone at Tokara in Stellenbosch. Chef Richard Carstens took centre stage to pay tribute to Ferran, his mentor. Although elBulli had a brigade of the best chefs in the world creating 50-course dinners, the magician Richard performed his own magic by preparing a clever and curious 13-course feast for his guests.

I have followed Richard and his playful concoctions of nitro foams, spherifications, gels, suspensions and textural plates since his time spent on the KZN South Coast at Lynton Hall, and have enjoyed his passionate readings and translations from a few Spanish chefs.

I believe that night I tasted Richard’s best food yet. The dishes were smart and beautifully executed without losing the emotional component of the dish – those layered flavours.

Ferran has announced that elBulli is not closing; it is merely transforming, and its soul will remain. Indeed, there is plenty of Richard’s soul at Tokara, and a whole lot of admiration there too.

Happy eating!

Abigail