In 2017, the Roca brothers’ restless spirit and hunger for new knowledge propelled them to travel to a country that has remained relatively untapped in the world of global cuisine: Scotland. We traveled with them through our homeland, continuing our long-standing relationship founded in shared values and a quest for innovation and deep knowledge.
Watch the documentary that follows their journey.
Raw Ingredients
Across the space of a year, Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca explored what they saw as a raw diamond in the global gastronomic arena- with a wealth of stories and ingredients waiting to be discovered. Imbued with tradition and legacy alongside myth and mystery, the brothers set out to discover the processes, places and people that make Scotland so unique and its gastronomic force so special.
Going beyond their initial understanding of Scotland's filling and comforting cuisine, they sought to unearth the precious raw ingredients that are rooted firmly in Scotland's unique environment and stunning landscape.
On a quest to listen and learn from Scotland's talent and undiscovered specialist suppliers, the brothers met the masters of their craft, eager to shine a light on the established and emerging traditions of a lesser known but powerful culture of culinary excellence.
Unlike previous culinary pilgrimages made by Joan, Josep and Jordi around the world, their Scottish expedition was experienced through a unique lens, inspired by and based on two travel journals from the eighteenth century: A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland by Samuel Johnson and The Journal of a Tour to Hebrides, by James Boswell.
"One of the things we share with The Macallan is the need to keep learning, to keep moving forward."
The Roca Brothers
With an overarching aim to 'distil Scotland', the brothers’ approach was one that embarked with excitement, enthusiasm but most of all respect. They sought to witness and learn from everything they see, experience and document on their journey and use it to inspire their own interpretation of Scotland that pays tribute to the true gems of the Scottish larder.
What they learned ultimately inspired a menu based on the essence of Scotland; encapsulated in a rich book that sits somewhere between a travel and culinary journal.