Do you know that one never stops surpassing oneself? Well jordi rock is the clear example of this. And the thing about the Catalan pastry chef is from another world; designs -because what he creates is design in a pure style- desserts in El Celler de Can Roca, surprises ordinary citizens with its ice creams in rocambolesc and innovates in the art of chocolate making in Cocoa House. But restless, curious and wanting to continue improving himself as he is, he does not leave things there. On the occasion of Easter Sunday, the chef has created a sculpture that will not leave anyone indifferent. The creation of Jordi Roca is, nothing more and nothing less, than a Chocolate mona lisa.
Jordi Roca's «Mona Lisa»
If we had to describe the culinary side of Jordi Roca in a few words, we could say “surprise factor”. Because no matter what you've done before, you always go one step further with a new creation. His latest chocolate revolution? The Easter monkey. But she is not just any monkey. This year the pastry chef dazzles the world with his piece of chocolate inspired by La Gioconda by Leonardo da Vinci... but whose enigmatic smile has been replaced by a chimpanzee head.
The result? A piece of milk chocolate filled with roasted and salted peanuts covered in milk chocolate and cocoa powder. Priced at $34, is available in stores rocambolesc from March 12 in Girona, from March 18 in Barcelona and from March 23 of the same month - yes, on request - in Madrid.
It has become clear that the passion with which Jordi Roca works on his designs, is reflected in them. And not only that, but he uses his gift to collaborate in different causes. On the occasion of the Easter monkey, he has also created the figure of a chimpanzee, whose sales will go to the Mona Foundation, who works for the rehabilitation and rescue of abused / abandoned primates. Hence, he has chosen this primate in his elaboration.
The Easter tradition
Why a monkey? Because the Easter tradition says that the monkey is a gift - the word "cute" comes from the Arabic "munna”, Which means gift- which is made when Lent is over, and it is the godparents who give it to their godchildren. Taking advantage of the double meaning, jordi rock He has presented his Mona Lisa with a video imitating a scene from "The Godfather", in which the cook takes on the role of Vito Corleone and listens carefully to his nephew Martí's proposal to make a traditional monkey for Easter. “Belonging to this family has some privileges,” says the pastry chef, “but it also has a price to pay, and that is I am the one who decides how "La Mona" is made each year".
See this post on Instagram
And this year he wanted to make a nod to the American film director Francis Ford Coppola and a tribute to the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. "Every year in Rocambolesc we make a special monkey", explained Roca for the newspaper Expansión. "This year We have given the word game a spin that links us to the famous work of art ”. To carry out this project, it has had the help of Montse Zurilla -sculptor-, “from whom we ask this sculpture to be able to make the mold that our collaborator Álex Canosa has developed and then do the work in our workshop”. And this is how Jordi Roca unites the party, the sweet and the art in a unique piece.
The creation of Jordi Roca, without limits
It is not the first time that the one from Gerona leaves us all speechless at this time. He already did it in 2018 simulating the head of Darth Vader -made with dark chocolate and with hazelnut and biscuit chocolates inside-, or in 2017, which created the chocolate sculpture 'Monai' -which were made up of a 72% or 42% chocolate structure, depending on the one chosen, and which hid in their interior caramelised almonds with dark chocolate, spice bread and gold dust-.
With this creation Jordi Roca has done it again. He has created a sculpture based on chocolate in which he has captured all eyes. The Mona de Pascua of the youngest of the Roca brothers is the perfect brooch for the holiday it honors, in which art and confectionery, and tradition and avant-garde, come together.
