2008: The Year of Spanish Cuisine with Chef Jose Andres

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- A new year has arrived and celebrated
chef Jose Andres has one sweeping goal for 2008: Make this year the Year of
Spanish Cuisine. From a new television show (Jose Made in Spain on public
television), to a new project in Los Angeles (designing the food and beverage
program for SBE's "SLS at Beverly Hills" hotel), to a cookbook (Jose Made in
Spain, Clarkson Potter, Fall 2008), Jose takes Americans on an exploration
into the flavor, innovation and character of Spanish cuisine and culture,
redefining its role in the everyday lexicon of cooks and diners alike.
"Spanish cuisine captures both tradition and modernity, offering unique
ideas in cooking and eating. My goal for 2008 is to bring albarino, pimenton
and Iberico ham into the homes of cooks across America, while inviting them to
sample the innovation and creativity Spain is known for," says Jose. "I ask
that embracing Spanish cuisine be the aim of every American diner this year!"
Already a driving force of Washington's culinary landscape with his
popular Jaleo tapas restaurant and his award-winning minibar by Jose Andres,
not to mention several other dining destinations and cookbooks, Jose is set to
spread the spirit of Spanish cuisine from coast to coast.
To accomplish his goal, Jose has put together a list of his top three New
Year's Resolutions:
1. Travel more: Explore Spain
"Spain is a wonderful place, rich in culture and culinary history. I want
to show viewers around my home country, and urge them to explore it
themselves."
Plan your schedule accordingly or set your Tivo for a visit to some of
Spain's most fascinating and delicious locales with Jose on his new
television program, Jose Made in Spain, premiering February 2 on public
television (check local listings). Each episode visits a treasured
Spanish location, where Jose travels to markets, farms, the ocean and
other sites associated with Spanish cuisine to visit with food
artisans, cooks and restaurateurs. Jose may find himself in the
mountains with a goat cheese maker, on a boat fishing for tuna or in
the fields picking padron peppers. See Spain, get inspired to pick up
that paella pan, and learn how easy it is to prepare a dish imbued with
the culture, tradition and flavor of Spain.

2. Try something new: Experience hotel dining in a whole new way
"I chose Los Angeles for its exciting, multicultural pulse and wealth of
fantastic local ingredients. But moreover, it's a city always ready for
something new and not afraid of creativity. It's the perfect city for
introducing a groundbreaking way to approach hotel dining."
Jose is set to make hotel dining a true experience in 2008. For his new
venture with SBE Hotel Group, SLS at Beverly Hills (opening this
summer), Jose will present a spectacular range of innovative
experiences created to change the way people think about hotel dining.
The Philippe Starck-designed hotel's public lobby, called "The Bazaar,"
will allow guests and visitors to sample Jose's tantalizing food and
drink options at an array of dining outposts: serving everything from
tapas to caviar to cotton candy.

3. Eat right: Shift the focus to vegetables
"Oftentimes vegetables are an afterthought on menus. I want to show diners
how by approaching vegetables with a Spanish mindset, you can create something
spectacular with vegetables at the heart of the meal."
In Spanish kitchens, vegetables are given their due. Spaniards eagerly
await the season for produce such as the famous white asparagus of
Navarra, in addition to preparing dishes like escalivada where the
focus is on the vegetable. On his show Jose Made in Spain and in the
companion cookbook, Jose will show Americans how to make the most of
fruits, vegetables, and healthful oils with delicious, easy-to-prepare
Spanish recipes. At one of the myriad dining outlets inside the
upcoming SLS at Beverly Hills, the spectacular produce of California
takes center stage -- with a Spanish touch -- via a luxurious and
luscious menu that makes vegetables the main attraction.

Jose Made in Spain episodic details, images, and further background on SLS
at Beverly Hills, as well as interviews with Jose are available upon request.
Visit www.josemadeinspain.com and www.sbeent.com for future updates.
SOURCE Jose Andres

Marissa Moss of Bullfrog & Baum, +1-323-651-1380, marissa@bullfrogandbaum.com,
for Jose Andres