El Bulli 2008: Sneak Preview

El Bulli's opening day is tomorrow.

By the way, how did those reservations work out this year? Is anyone else going?

I have a friend staging there this season, Lee Wolen, most recently chef at the late Butter restaurant in Chicago - no relation to celebstaurant Butter in New York.

Lee sent this email over the weekend:

from: lee wolen <xxxxxxxxx@gmail.com>
to: Louisa Chu <louisa@movable-feast.com>
date: Sun, Mar 30, 2008 at 2:48 PM
subject: el bulli
signed by: gmail.com
just writing to say i am here safe and sound and have been working for 4 days now. It's beautiful here and we get 2 and a half days a week off and once a month we get 4 days in a row off. The biggest problem is my language and it's impossible to understand them and speak back so i have to follow every one. I can't read any recipes and pretty much nobody seems to care to speak in english. the place is amazing tho and hopefully it will get better. hope all is well and will talk to you soon
-- Lee

Lee actually just started taking intensive Spanish lessons, as soon as he received his acceptance letter a few months ago. And things will get better once service starts of course.

Last night was the annual pre-season Friends and Family. Ferran himself personally hand-picks guests every year. The list is never the same and he never explains his choices. That is truly the toughest reservation in the world. Check out the exclusive undercover footage.