The news
Born in Campinas, in Brazil, 39 years ago, Diego Gallegos is nicknamed the caviar chef, fetish that over time has inspired 150 recipes. In his renowned restaurant Sollo, at the Reserva del Higueron, in Malaga, he started testing the Spanish product and has never stopped.
From an early age, however, he also cultivated another passion: the one for video games. It started when his father won a bingo game, and it resurfaced during the pandemic, so much so that today there are those who also call him “chef gamer”. After he had distinguished himself in online competitions, a video game brand entrusted him with the creation of a new product, creating a character with which he makes recipes and participates in events. And today this is also a source of income, thanks to the working hours which leave him with a lot of free time to play, even with his daughters. “They pay me for this, I’m incredibly lucky”.
“In any case, caviar is never missing from the tasting menu”, he tells Paz Alvarez of El Pais. “We play with this concept, but we also use home-bred river fish, which are cheaper. We calculate 30 grams of caviar per person and sell the menu, with this perception of luxury, for 170 euros. Our customers, especially the Northern European ones, seek excellence through sustainability. When they gave us the red star, it was an important support; but the green one consolidated us as a more conceptual restaurant.”
“If I raised the price, it was precisely because the restaurant is not designed to be a customer’s first Michelin experience. When you go to a place like this, you first look for pomposity, and despite the linen tablecloths we don’t conform to this model. By raising the price we differentiate ourselves. We welcome experienced customers who understand what we do. Caviar is the new Balsamic, which was in all dishes twenty years ago. There is an audience that asks for it. It’s all about caviar, regardless of where it comes from. We favor sustainable production from Andalusia. I use 65-70 kilos a year. Culturally it has always been something exclusive. It’s not cheap, at 700-800 euros per kilo it can’t go to all the restaurants. In short, no one will ever see caviar tapas with beer.”
“70% of it comes from China, both quality and otherwise. There are many scams, people passing off Chinese caviar as Iranian, which is now unobtainable.” But the good one can be recognized because it does not taste like mud or earth, which would be an indication of stagnant water and a closed circuit; once opened it is shiny and smooth as a mirror, while after the expiration date the fat begins to melt. And Gallegos doesn’t mix things up here: it should be consumed cold with a glass of Champagne, using a teaspoon of mother-of-pearl to avoid the metallic scent.
