Why our new chef monograph Oteque is the gastronomy book every upscale kitchen space demands

Alberto Landgraf is single-minded in his ambition to celebrate Brazil’s indigenous ingredients with a naturalistic and classic approach. His dishes are vibrant yet minimal, complex but not complicated. This single-mindedness has helped become a true landmark figure in global gastronomy. 

Born in Paraná to German Japanese parents, Landgraf initially studied physics before pursuing a career in professional cooking, with early experience gained in kitchens in London, notably with Gordon Ramsey. 

He returned to Brazil and opened his first restaurant Epice, in São Paulo in 2011, which earned considerable critical acclaim, before launching Oteque in Rio de Janeiro in 2018, now widely considered to be one of the greatest restaurants in Latin America.

Oteque: Ideas, Principles, Recipes, Stories and Connections [A Cookbook] is his debut cookbook and, in accordance with his style of cooking, he wanted to create something unique.

Açaí Sorbet, Rapadura Crumbs. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke

So, instead of being structured by course or ingredient, the book is separated into Landgraf’s five unique culinary guiding principles: acidity, texture, leadership, and creative process.

 “It might seem strange at first, but there’s a very simple line of thought as to why the chapters of this book are divided as they are: acidity, textures, blocks, leadership and creative process,” he says. 

Slipper Lobster, Corn, Saffron Sauce. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke

“I wanted the book to reflect the way I see food and cooking in a professional environment. You might be used to a more conventional cookbook structure, but I really didn’t want to be ‘more of the same’.

“Acidity for me is key to my cooking – sharpness, always keeping the eater on the edge, all senses made alert by that electric zing.

Wagyu, Shiitake Mushrooms. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke

Texture is the fun of it all, a new discovery with every bite, contrasting always to bring balance. Blocks is the theory of life. From a Lego toy to childhood memories lingering in your subconscious, the whole universe is built by little blocks moving from here to there, so why not in cookery?”

Meanwhile, leadership and salt are two ingredients a kitchen can’t do without, according to Landgraf. “I always say that the difference between great food and bad food often can be about just a pinch of salt, and so it is with leadership. Creative Process is the most personal part of the book. It’s where I share my approach to constructing the food that is served to guests at Oteque, the part that young cooks absorb and inherit when they work in my kitchen.”

Red Mullet, Parsley, Foie Gras. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke 

The cookbook features 49 recipes and an additional 29 ‘base’ recipes, the foundational stocks, dressings and sauces that Alberto uses in his cooking. Dishes include Pork Belly, Green Beans, Pickled Shallots and Cabbage; Seabass and Fermented Tomato; Muscles and Carrot; Porcini Mushrooms and Egg York; Coconut Sorbet and Acerola; and Brazil Nut Ice Cream.

Each chapter begins with an essay written by Alberto’s friend and food writer, Andrea Petrini, president of the jury for The World’s 50 Best and founder of the Gelinaz! food culture festival. These introductory essays are drawn from extensive interviews exploring Landgraf’s life, influences, and evolving methodology.

Duck, Apples, Jussara, Cream. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke

Meanwhile the incredible food and landscape photography by Robert Astley-Sparke, who has worked with Tom Ford, Cartier, Vogue, Christies, Versace, Vogue, and Burberry, among others, captures Brazil’s sweeping natural landscapes and breathtaking coastline, as well as the elegance of Landgraf’s dishes, creating a unique visual dialogue between place and plate that mirrors the chef’s own creative wellspring.

Finally, but importantly, ecological impact plays a big part in Landgraf’s approach to Oteque. The chef considers every aspect of the food chain and works closely with the innovative, trail-blazing tech team Reach Eat to calculate the environmental impact of the ingredients and raw materials of his dishes.

Blackberry Sorbet, Beetroot Syrup. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke

This relationship is also an important feature in the book, which details carbon footprint data for every single one of his 78 recipes – the first cookbook in the world ever to do so.

As Landgraf says, “the main reason I’ve written this book is to leave something for – and share something with – younger generations of chefs and cooks who can use it as a resource to inspire.” Oteque: Ideas, Principles, Recipes, Stories and Connections [A Cookbook he has certainly achieved that. 

Chocolate Sorbet, Pear. Photography: Robert Astley-Sparke