Rodrigo de la Calle

The son of a farmer and grandson of chefs, Rodrigo de la Calle studied at the School of Hotel Management in Aranjuez and combined both facets of his family background by creating the concept of "gastrobotanics," together with Santiago Orts. This discipline researches new plant species, recovers lost or forgotten varieties, and studies their culinary uses.

In his Madrid restaurant, El Invernadero (The Greenhouse), he creates "a rich, tasty, succulent, healthy, emotional gastronomic experience," based on fruits, nuts, roots, stems, leaves, pods, mushrooms, fungi, flowers, and seeds.

In 2012 he launched the concept of a "Green Revolution" in the form of a menu based on fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms, limiting the use of animal products to seasoning only. Ever since then, he has continued his research into vegetables and the numerous ways in which they can be served.