After an apprenticeship at elBulli, he realized that his preoccupation was with scent. “That was something that hadn’t really been realized enough in desserts, I thought: the power of aromas. We had this new machine that could extract essential oils, and I began to play with it. I began making perfumed desserts.” He laughed. “I went to Sephora and found the most wonderful aromas in all the women’s perfumes. And I started making desserts built around their smells. Calvin Klein-like aromas. [...] Sense memory extends to the heart of who we are...”
— Adam Gopnik of the New Yorker talks to Jordi Roca of El Celler de Can Roca (reputed to be the 4th best restaurant in the world). Read more at Sweet Revolution: The power of the pastry chef at the New Yorker. Many thanks to Jessica for the link!