Food at the Roca brothers' restaurant in Girona transcends the ordinary to become pure magic

What does it mean to eat at the Best Restaurant in the World? To find out, I landed in Barcelona in early December, dodged the Gaudí fans and pickpockets, and boarded a train to Girona-a medieval Catalan city so picturesque it might as well have been designed by Disney. But let’s be honest: nobody comes to Girona for its history or architecture. They come for the Roca brothers.

Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca have transformed Girona into a global culinary destination. Their restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca, doesn’t just have three Michelin stars-it’s been crowned the World’s Best Restaurant twice. Each brother specialises in one part of the dining experience: Joan oversees savoury dishes; Josep curates beverage pairings; while Jordi has mastered the art of pastry. Together, they’ve built a culinary empire that includes a chocolate factory, a wine bar, and a boutique hotel that feels like Willy Wonka’s Spanish vacation home.
 

I checked into Casa Cacao the evening before my meal, the 15-room boutique hotel in the heart of Girona run by Joan’s wife. Understated luxury met artisanal charm, from the rooftop views to the exquisite chocolates left in my room-each detail a testament to the Rocas’ meticulous care. The next morning, a visit to Jordi Roca’s chocolate factory offered a peek into their philosophy. Ecuadorian cacao beans were transformed into edible art with an almost fanatical dedication to precision, setting the stage perfectly for the meal to come.

But this was no ordinary meal at El Celler. I had come for a one-day-only collaboration between the Roca brothers and The Macallan, the legendary Scotch whisky brand celebrating its 200th anniversary. A year in the making, the event was as exclusive as it was ambitious. The Rocas and Macallan have been partners for over a decade, their shared commitment to craftsmanship culminating in projects like TimeSpirit, a restaurant on Macallan’s 485-acre Speyside estate.

Lunch began in El Celler’s courtyard, dressed in vibrant red hues for the occasion. The brothers greeted us alongside Jaume Ferràs, Macallan’s Creative Director. Over glasses of whisky, Ferràs set the tone: “With the Roca brothers, we’ve created a menu for today and today only. It will never happen again.”

Inside the sleek dining room, Joan welcomed us warmly, describing the meal as a celebration of shared artistry as Josep poured blanc de blancs Champagne. What followed was a 16-course journey that blurred the lines between gastronomy and art. There were no predictable pairings of whisky and food; instead, every dish wove the spirit of the drink into its essence.
 

The opening act was a veal consommé-a warm, earthy broth delicately laced with sherry and the umami depth of mushrooms. It arrived in bespoke glassware, etched with the unmistakable silhouettes of the Roca brothers, as if to remind you that even the tableware here is part of the experience.

Then came a course that reimagined The Macallan’s distillery. Designed to resemble the estate’s iconic rooftop, the dish featured three hidden snacks: malted oat brioche with brewer’s yeast, horseradish and turnip, paired with a creamy cork distillate. Each bite was crafted to evoke the feeling of strolling through the Scottish Highlands, minus the drizzle and the chill.

Next was 'Treasured Water,' a dish that danced onto the table as if it had wandered in from a David Blaine show. It arrived on a thermal plate, releasing aromatic steam that unveiled a concealed broth. Paired with The Macallan 18 Years, described by Diane Stuart, the Whisky Maker, as aged in Sherry oak casks from Spain with notes of dried fruit, toasted almonds, and baking spices.

As desserts approached, Jordi, the youngest brother and self-styled rebel of the trio, took over. Crowned the 'World’s Best Pastry Chef', Jordi elevated the dessert courses to performance art. First, we were handed augmented reality glasses and transported on a virtual journey through the world of cacao, from Ecuador’s lush plantations to Jordi’s own chocolate factory. When the glasses came off, there it was: a single chocolate, macerated in Macallan whisky and crafted with 70% Ecuadorian cacao. It was a chocolate that had ambitions far beyond being eaten.

 

For the grand finale, Jordi unveiled the 'Angel’s Tribute.' Using the Rocas' trademark VOM technique (Volatile Organic Memory), he conjured a cloud-like foam that floated dramatically through the air before gently settling on our desserts. As it descended, the foam transformed into drops of whisky, infusing the dish with sherry-sweet notes. This wasn’t just a dessert; it was a poetic homage to the ‘angel’s share’, the whisky lost to evaporation during ageing-combining science and artistry in a breathtaking presentation.

Just when we thought the performance was over, he returned, this time dressed in a kilt. He wheeled out a giant donut cake and with the flair of a medieval knight, sliced it open with a ceremonial sword. The pièce de résistance, however, was the whisky served alongside it: The Macallan Time: Space-a special edition commemorating the distillery’s 200 years. Housed in a circular vessel that looked like it belonged in Guggenheim Museum, it was a collector’s item priced at $1,400 (or approx. Rs1,20,000) that underscored the exclusivity of the experience.

 

As I left the restaurant, I realised that the meal wasn’t just about whisky heritage or the Rocas’ culinary genius. It was a celebration of what happens when passion, artistry and magic come together. Dining with the Roca brothers isn’t just about food-it’s about theatre, memory and storytelling.

If you ever get the chance to dine at El Celler, take it-not for accolades or social media clout, but to witness how food can transcend the ordinary and become pure magic. 

@RaajSanghvi