Spanish chef seeks the essentials in food

Alain Devahive Tolosa is a master of molecular cuisine. The Catalan chef deconstructs and recreates ingredients like he did during his 15 years at El Bulli, which was often touted as the best restaurant in the world in its heyday. Devahive is in Tianjin through Sunday, his last stop in China after taking his Asia road show for Ritz-Carlton hotels to Shanghai and Beijing earlier this month. China Daily caught up with him in the capital last week.

Usually when we talk to guest chefs visiting from abroad, they tell us about the big trunk of special ingredients they've hauled from home to make their authentic foods. I hear you brought ... Nothing?

(Laughs.) That's true. We work with what's in the market here. I am going to many cities, so it's just more practical, too.