Discovering Amor Cuinat and the Barcelona of Núria Arnau.
April, 9th, 2023. Written by Clara De Nadal Trias
Life is a box of surprises. They come in all colors, even on occasions of all flavors, like the one I present below.
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to meet and interview Núria Arnau, born in Lleida and living in Barcelona since 2005, to discover her secret Barcelona and also her passionate Amor Cuinat gastronomic project.
We decided to meet in her office to do the interview, or I should better say at her kitchen and operating room -inside a Catalan old palace-, and when I arrived and the doors opened for me, I was greeted by dozens of wonderful boxes of organic fruit and vegetables accompanied by the smiles of Núria and her mother Adriana Gili, with whom she shares her professional adventure.
As soon as the interview began, a smell of freshly cut vegetables and poached onion started to invade the room -as Adriana was already doing her thing in the kitchen-, and between question and question, Núria and I cooked this interview together.
Let's start from the beginning, who is Núria Arnau?
Being close to Núria is wrapping yourself in good vibes, because she describes herself as a persevering, sensitive woman and a follower of her heart because if she doesn't: “something happens that forces me to go back, not to stray from the path. I like to live how I feel and not how I think and I move by energy.”
Núria loves to travel, for her it is: "the true university of life" and she likes to do it alone, accompanied by her partner Jaime "whom she would choose again a thousand times as a life and travel companion", and with his daughter Koa. For her "traveling is realizing that things can be done in very different ways, there are other cultures, languages, shapes... and it was also traveling that I understood that my passion is cooking and that's how my professional project, Amor Cuinat, began."
Please tell us more… What is Amor Cuinat? How did it all start?
When I was little, my godmother -on my father's side- was the one who cooked at home. I remember always being aware of what she did, how she did it and without a doubt my love for cooking comes from her. Years later my brother informed the whole family that he also wanted to be a cook… So now we are both of us in the kitchen.
When I came to live in Barcelona, I actually did it to study Advertising and Public Relations. After my degree, I worked for almost three years in various agencies until I decided to do a Master's in personal growth. Then I traveled the world alone for 10 months and it was during that trip that I discovered that I wanted to dedicate myself to cooking. “I perfectly remember during the months that I lived in New Zealand, realizing that what I really wanted was to change my life and live by cooking, but not in a restaurant. I shared a house with a family and in exchange for food and lodging, in a self-taught way I began to cook for them.”
When she returned to Barcelona, it was clear to her: “I am going to create a gastronomic project that allows me to travel to people's homes to cook my love for life for them”, and that project is now Amor Cuinat.
Since then and 9 years later, Núria has cooked in more than 600 houses offering an honest, homemade proposal with Mediterranean-Asian inspiration. But suddenly the Covid19 and the pandemic arrived. The confinement meant that for a few months she could no longer cook in other houses, and that moment became a turning point that led to a new service for the preparation and delivery of "healthy tupperwares" with weekly deliveries, which now she continues to combine with cooking in people’s houses.
Although you never stop traveling, you live in Barcelona. What do you think is Amor Cuinat's greatest contribution to a city like this one?
Without a doubt, the possibility of eating healthy, balanced and done with love. Home cooking, without additives and with 80% organic product.
Speaking of Barcelona… What is your favorite corner of the city?
The neighborhood of Grace. I love walking through its streets, it gives me a very good vibe. I also love the Gallito restaurant, where you eat and dine facing the sea.
According to your personal experience, what is the best thing about living in Barcelona?
The weather, having so many options to eat well in the city and living near the beach.
Please tell me your 3 favorite restaurants and/or bars and why:
La Cova Fumada: because it has a special life, it makes you feel at home and they remain faithful to their homemade food proposal from day one.
Green Spot: because of their very well done vegetarian food. Whenever I eat there I come up with ideas.
Fismuler: for the culinary proposal, the good vibes of the restaurant, the decoration of the space and the wonderful light that enters through the stained glass window.
If someone who has never been to Barcelona asks you... What can't I miss, do or visit?
Easy. A stroll by the sea, the neighborhood of Borne and Gracia.
What is your favorite plan in the city?
The plan that I like the most is to wake up in the morning and aimlessly go with my daughter Koa take a walk, eat in a new or familiar restaurant, keep walking, have a snack together in the evening and enjoy the whole day “without planning”.
And if you didn't live in Barcelona... Where would you live?
If I didn't live in Barcelona, I would definitely live in Chang Mai, Thailand.
And if Barcelona were a person... Who would it be?
For me Barcelona are my husband Jaime and my daughter Koa.
Last but not least... Please, mention someone I should do this interview to:
Viçens Alujas. I met him while I was doing the master's degree in personal growth and since then we have created a beautiful friendship. He is a great facilitator and always transmits a very good vibe, as well as being a very inspiring person.
*P.S. If you are reading this interview and you are lucky enough to stay in one of the Simaba Group apartments in Barcelona, do not miss the opportunity to try the "healthy tuppers at home" from Amor Cuinat.
Article written and translated by Clara De Nadal Trias.
More plans and people from Barcelona here.