BBVA kicks off tour with highly acclaimed Roca brothers this week

HOUSTON, Aug. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Spanish financial services group BBVA and the Roca brothers kick off their world tour today with the first in a series of exclusive client dinners prepared by the acclaimed trio, whose El Celler de Can Roca landed atop the influential World's 50 Best Restaurants list last year.  

Head Chef Joan, Sommelier Josep, and Pastry Chef Jordi Roca — along with more than 20 members of their staff — have shuttered their Girona, Spain-based restaurant for five weeks this summer to serve meals to BBVA Group's clients in six cities. The tour launches today in the U.S., where the chefs will create a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience in Houston for clients of BBVA Compass, BBVA's U.S. banking franchise.

"Our clients are embarking on a gastronomic journey this week with the Rocas," said BBVA Compass Chairman and CEO Manolo Sanchez. "The Rocas are universal in their approach to food — bringing together tradition and modernity, among other unlikely pairs — and we honor that spirit with this world tour."

Over a span of three nights in Houston, the Rocas will serve a total of 300 clients 14-course dinners at Rienzi, the commanding former home of the arts patrons Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III that now houses the European decorative arts collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

On Friday, the tour continues its swing through Texas with two nights in Dallas, where a total of 200 clients will be served dinner at the Rachofsky House, the private home of Cindy and Howard Rachofsky. Roughly 800 works of contemporary art — including American Minimalism pieces, post-war European art with a specific focus on Italy, and the art of post-war Japan — are on display in the Rachofsky home on a rotating basis.

The tour then moves to the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Mexico City, stops in Bogota, Colombia, and ends in September in Lima, Peru. The tour is part of BBVA's three-year partnership with El Celler de Can Roca.

As part of that partnership, BBVA will present scholarships to four Texas student chefs for a four-month apprenticeship with the Roca brothers next year. Two students from The Art Institute of Houston's International Culinary School and two from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Dallas will be selected. Several of the schools' students are volunteering at the dinners this week.

Joan Roca is considered a pioneer in sous-vide, a cooking process where food is vacuum-packed and cooked in water. He developed the Roner, a professional sous-vide cooking device. Josep Roca, the sommelier, meanwhile, has won over critics with his unorthodox wine pairings and techniques. And Jordi Roca, the pastry chef, won the World's Best Pastry Chef Award 2014. The judges called him "part chef, part architect, part magician" and an "eccentric but modest genius," citing his work recreating famous perfumes in edible form.  

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About BBVA Group

BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of BBVA Compass Bancshares Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, is the largest financial institution in Mexico and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt region of the United States. Its diversified business is geared toward high-growth markets and relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass

BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 673 branches, including 342 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 77 in Arizona, 62 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (5th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration and recently earned the top ranking with customers in American Banker's 2014 annual reputation survey of the top 25 largest U.S. retail banks. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at www.bbvacompass.com, by following @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visiting newsroom.bbvacompass.com. 

Editor's Note:
BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank, Member FDIC.

SOURCE BBVA Compass