Sublimotion is pricey, but it’s about far more than just food. This is a multi-sensory restaurant...
Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza
The party island of Ibiza is about to become home to the world’s most expensive restaurant. A 20-course tasting menu at Sublimotion, housed in the five-star Hard Rock Hotel, will - at £1,235 a head - take a hefty bite out of your chips-and-candyfloss budget. The hotel is due to open on 18 May.
For that price you’d expect it to be pretty good tucker! In fact, according to the good folk at Hard Rock, it’s going to be much, much more than that. It’s going to be an "unparalleled gastro-sensory venture"!
A spokesman (possibly staring into a perfect sunset) said, “The dishes will cause a stir among the most neglected senses; from moments of humour, pleasure, fear, reflection and nostalgia, diners will be wandering through a world of sensations from the north pole where they will enjoy a cold snack that they carve on their own iceberg or to the baroque Versailles where the elegance of a rose is sure to melt in their palate.”
Maybe the moments of fear and reflection occur when the bill arrives? But joking aside, Sublimotion certainly appears to be trying to do something different, and not just in terms of price. There’s lots of talk of “microenvironments” and the food as “the message”. Read on as we explore this extraordinary culinary concept.
Sublimotion in action
Stars at the Hard Rock
There will be stars at the Hard Rock Hotel alright - Michelin Stars!
Sublimotion is the brainchild of the Michelin-starred chef Paco Roncero, who aims to create an experience to stir far more than just taste buds. But what does that mean in practice? We’ll let Sublimotion clear things up:
“Advanced systems allow the creation of chromatic atmospheres, the control of the temperature and humidity of the space and the aromatization of the ambience under a musical sequence especially composed for the occasion. These tools create a unique experience that transcends gastronomy and offers an infinite scope of sensations.”
Clear enough? No? Well, what we think it means is that Sublimotion will take its 12 nightly diners (the number is strictly limited) through an ever-changing environment of sounds, temperatures, sights and textures, all with a view to enhancing the dining experience.
A video of the venture shows a completely white space, with crazy light-patterns, playful fish and exotic landscapes projected onto tables and walls. There’s quite a lot about music in the pre-launch publicity, so don’t expect to enjoy your meal in contemplative silence.
And the food? Well, apart from the stuff about self-service icebergs and edible roses, there isn’t much about that yet, though Roncero did say he would be “seasoning dishes with excitement”.
One of the Sublimotion dishes
Journey of senses
We’re sure the food will be exquisite, though, because for all the pretension of Sublimotion, Roncero is a very good chef. But clearly very good food is only half of the appeal. The combination of food, art and technology will, says Sublimotion, take the evening to an entirely different level.
“We are very excited about the opening of Sublimotion and believe our guests will enjoy a culinary experience they’ve never previously encountered,” said Roncero, one of Spain’s most famous cooks. Diners with less money, but still quite a lot, will be relieved to know that Roncero is also behind the hotel’s tapas restaurant, which opens at the same time.
Abel Matutes Prats, CEO of Palladium Hotel Group, the company behind the hotel, said Sublimotion would provide a “journey of the senses,” and would cater to, “a new wave of modern travelers seeking unexpected, yet exceptional encounters.”
So, what is Sublimotion? “Ibiza, passion, gastronomy,” says Roncero. The video shows dry ice and a spinning mushroom. Need we say more?
Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza
Head chef Paco Roncero
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