“Brutal”—when Celler d’En Toni validates Shah Darya
There are evenings that validate a project better than any dashboard. Those where demanding professionals, accustomed to the best, taste your products and don’t need long to find their words.
That evening at Celler d’En Toni, listed in the Michelin Guide from 2018 to 2026, that’s exactly what happened.
A well-chosen table
Jérôme and I had an appointment with Marcel Besolí, the owner, and Roberto, head chef of the restaurant Cal Roka. Two men of the trade, two refined palates. We had brought the Kaluga Signature and the Beluga from Iran.
The tasting was done simply, around the table, with a glass of red wine. And when Roberto tasted the Beluga from Iran, he only needed one word—in Catalan, direct, without hesitation:
“Brutal.”
In Catalan, brutal means exceptional. The kind of compliment you give when ordinary superlatives are no longer enough. Hard to do better.
Improvised, memorable pairings
The evening turned into a true convivial meal. Between courses, Jérôme and I started improvising—a few grains of Shah Darya on the shrimp, then on a chocolate truffle. The bitterness of the chocolate, the roundness of the truffle, the lingering salinity of the caviar—an unlikely pairing on paper, unforgettable on the palate.
These small improvised moments between people who love food are often the most beautiful.
The conclusion that matters
At the end of the evening, Marcel told us he wanted to add Shah Darya to his menu. Not out of politeness—out of conviction. For Jérôme and me, this is precious validation. That of a professional who chooses our products to offer to his demanding clientele.
Our palate hadn’t deceived us. Marcel and Roberto had just confirmed it.
