Second elBulliFoundation Auction Brings in $913,605

The second Sotheby's auction to benefit the elBulliFoundation took place in New York City on Friday, and official numbers are in. According to a press release, dinner for four with chef Ferran Adrià was sold to an online bidder for an astounding $36,750; the dinner will take place at at Albert Adrià's Barcelona restaurant Tickets. Of the wine lots, a four bottles — signed by Ferran Adrià and his business partner Julia Soler — of Romanée Conti 2004 went for $52,062.

This auction brings $913,605 to the elBulliFoundation, and along with the $1.8 million raised at the Hong Kong auction, the total pull was $2,718,909. Of the forthcoming foundation, Adrià told the AFP to expect "a little Cirque de Soleil, a little Dali museum, a little medialab" when it opens in 2015. Below, a press release from Sotheby's.

New York Auction Brings Total Raised For the elBulli Foundation At Sotheby's To $2.7 million

An Exclusive Dinner With Ferran Adrià, The World's Greatest Chef, Sells For $36,750 To An Online Bidder

Four Bottles of Romanée Conti 2004 Sold For $52,062

New York Sale Exceeds High Estimate To Bring $913,605

"With these sales the dream becomes a reality."

26 April 2013 – Tonight at Sotheby's the second part of the much-anticipated sale of The elBullicellar Sold To Benefit The elBullifoundation totaled $913,605, well over the $515,300/768,250 estimate. The auction follows the 3 April sale in Hong Kong which fetched $1.8 million, bringing the overall total for the two auctions to $2,718,909, well over the combined $1,334,853/1,951,591 estimate.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit the elBullifoundation - an experimental centre looking at the process of culinary innovation and creativity. The top lot was four bottles of Romanée Conti 2004 signed by Ferran Adrià and Juli Soler which sold for $52,062, double estimate of $19/27,500. The 'lifestyle lots' were also in demand with an exclusive dinner with Ferran Adrià for four at his brother, Albert Adrià's Tickets Restaurant in Barcelona sought by eight collectors before selling to an online bidder for $36,750 (opening bid $5,000). The sale was particularly notable for the number of new buyers, 42% of whom had not previously participated in a Sotheby's wine auction.

Serena Sutcliffe, MW, Head of the International Wine Department at Sotheby's commented: "Ferran Adrià is widely acknowledged as the world's greatest chef and we are delighted to have raised over $2.7 million to help him realise his vision of culinary creativity and investigation at the elBulli Foundation. Food and wine enthusiasts from 16 country's participated in the sales in both Hong Kong and here in New York and now own a piece of the elBulli legend."

Highlights of elBulli Lifestyle Lots
An Exclusive Dinner With Ferran Adrià For Four In Barcelona
Sold For $36,750
Opening bid: $5,000

elBulli Laguiole Knife Collection
Sold for $6,125
Opening bid: $1,000

Signed Ferran Adrià Chef Jacket
Sold for $3,063
Opening bid: $1,000

· All elBulliFoundation Coverage on eater [-E-]
· All Ferran Adrià coverage on Eater [-E-]