Award-winning chef Juan Amador specifies Neolith® surfaces for his latest restaurant

A career in cookery was not the first choice of two Michelin-starred chef Juan Amador when growing up. In his words it “evolved over time”, maturing like a fine wine until “you start to get noticed and receive your first ratings.” Amador’s cuisine has developed gradually over many years. As he explains: “Our foundation has always been, and still is, classic French cookery. We place great value on securing the very best produce and using a repertoire of delicate sauces to enhance the flavour of our food.”

The German chef also highlights the influence of his Spanish heritage by pairing juxtaposing ingredients to create surprisingly complementary combinations. Amador encapsulates this side of his approach with the Catalonian term ‘Mar I Muntanya’ (combining fish and meat in the same dish). Balancing the classic and the contemporary in unusual and inventive ways extends beyond his dishes to the interior design of his restaurants.

Revisionist historian
The chef’s latest venture, Amador’s Wirsthaus & Greisslerei in Vienna, Austria, is organised around an open-plan kitchen. As such, everything is on show, and guests’ first impressions are not only of the dining room, but also the brigade of cooks working to bring Amador’s recipes to reality.

The restaurant is situated within a 200-year-old wine cellar and features exposed brick arches and vaulted ceilings. At ground level, Amador wanted to incorporate modern elements to create a contrast for diners. A combination of stainless steel and concrete-effect surfacing gives the scheme a playful industrial aesthetic.

Hard to resist
Choosing an attractive surface material for the kitchen worktops that would also deliver high levels of performance, required careful consideration. As Amador explains: “The most important thing, especially for this project, is that the surface is great to handle. It has to remain incredibly stable under the physical rigours of a professional kitchen, and robust enough to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations. It also has to be low-maintenance, ultra-hygienic and easy to clean. Finally, it needs to look amazing. In this case I wanted something that looked natural but still adds a modern feel.”

Having been impressed by Neolith’s work with fellow chef Albert Adria at his flagship Barcelona restaurant, ENIGMA, Amador specified Sintered Stone for his own venture. He liked the product’s hyper-realistic interpretation of naturally hewn stone, as well as the range of different patterns. Amador also appreciated the material’s durability: “We can work with liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as -190˚C, as well as open fires which can get up to 300 ˚C and the worktop maintains its integrity.”

A concrete decision
To achieve the desired concrete aesthetic, Neolith Beton Silk was chosen for the kitchen worktops and central island. For Amador, the significance of specifying Neolith goes beyond look and feel: “It is important to have a big, well-known and experienced company to support you. It inspires confidence as they have the capacity to help realise my vision, but are also flexible should any changes occur to the original brief. Furthermore, given my roots, it was emotionally important to me that Neolith was founded and is produced in the country of my ancestors: Spain.”

To be continued…
Amador is keen to maintain his relationship with the brand: “We have a couple of restaurants in the planning stages, including a hotel in Lisbon, which will open next year. Neolith will certainly play a big role in that project.”

Contact Details
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