Chinese chef Chang Liu who has just turned 30 is the chef of a newly opened restaurant called Serica in Milan which aims to serve as a bridge between Chinese and Italian food. After three years working at the Michelin starred Yoji Tokojoshi which is known for Italian cuisine that is 'contaminated' with Japanese techniques, he has decided to open his own restaurant named Serica located in Milan, Italy. The young and talented Chinese chef has a range of experiences including at Daniel Boulud in Beijing, as well as an internship at Noma in 2014. The Chinese chef was also a finalist in Italy's Hell's Kitchen with Carlo Cracco. He won the Chinese San Pellegrino Young chef competition in 2016. He worked alongside Yoji Tokojoshi at his restaurant since 2015. The restaurant name is Serica after the ancient Latin name for the Silk Road which is the most important commercial road in human history that connected the Chinese Empire to Western Society through the exchange of goods, spices … [Read more...]
Uliassi gets third Michelin star in Italy
Uliassi was awarded with 3 Michelin stars in Italy when the French tyre company announced the publication of the new guide for 2019 in Italy. The 'seafood' restaurant of chef Mauro Uliassi is by the sea in Senigallia, Italy between the port channel and the beach. His cuisine is defined as simple and contemporary because it uses the best of today's technology while at the same time keeping to its traditional roots. The chef describes his cuisine as one that is continuously evolving and is influenced by his travels and his surroundings. Chef Mauro Uliassi opened the restaurant with Catia in 1990 and has ratings of 19 in the Guida del Espresso (among the highest). He joins the likes of Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana, Enrico Crippa's Piazza Duomo, Niko Romito's Reale and Massimiliano Alajmo's Le Calandre with three Michelin stars. The number of 3 Michelin star restaurants in Italy now stands at 10. The other 3 Michelin star restaurants are St. Hubertus, Da Vittorio. … [Read more...]
Limited edition panettone by Niko Romito on sale
The famous Panettone Niko Romito, that is produced in the bread baking laboratory PANE in Castel di Sangro close to the three Michelin star restaurant Reale is on sale and available for distribution across Europe. Only 2,000 pieces are produced in two versions, the classic and one with chocolate. The daily baking process is long and accurate, the preparation takes place over three days and includes three progressive leavening phases. Flour, natural yeast, eggs, vanilla beans, butter, "Sulla" honey, home-made candied orange zests, chocolate pearls or golden raisins are the ingredients used to make this panettone. The process to make this panettone ensures that it is incrediibly soft and has a creamy texture. The Italian chef, Niko Romito, is known for perfecting the art of baking making bread that has become famous around the world. the bread, created in the same laboratory, is also available in his restaurants Spazio Niko Romito in Milan and in Rome. The panettone is a … [Read more...]
Intentional minimalism at Spazio Niko Romito Roma
Why do restaurants only use their space for lunch or dinner other than to give the owners and their staff time to rest? Is there a more efficient way to utilise a space by offering more than just lunch or dinner? That’s what Niko Romito set out to test with Spazio Niko Romito Roma. His vision was that of creating a space that could serve as a restaurant, a cafeteria, a bakery and a place where Romans could convene in the evenings for an aperitivo or a glass of wine. You can say that vision has materialised. Located in a square in the Parioli district of Rome just two and a half kilometres away from Piazza Di Spagna and the Fontana Di Trevi you can find this space (spazio) which reflects Niko Romito’s vision to offer a space for the young students of his cooking school Niko Romito Formazione to gain experience in a real life restaurant. Today, the restaurant is welcoming Italians and tourists alike to this elegant residential area that became popular in Rome during the Fascist … [Read more...]
Retro Bottega: Modern Italian cuisine in the heart of Rome
The dessert spoon has already been placed on the table at Retro Bottega in Rome. I've been chatting to one of the two chefs Giuseppe Lo Iudice who owns this place in the centre of Rome together with another chef Alessandro Miocchi. He leaves and soon after returns to replace the spoon with a fork and knife. "We've changed plans he tells me. We want you to try another dish before dessert," he tells me. The dish that follows is pigeon cooked in a Peking Duck style. "My business partner and chef Alessandro Miocchi was in China and he got inspired by this dish which you can find everywhere. We love to work with pigeon and thought we could use the method to prepare pigeon this way," he said. It is cooked to perfection. The pigeon is perfectly seasoned, crisp on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside and is served with spinach and savory. In the space of a year I’ve eaten the best pigeon dishes I've ever eaten at Reale in Castel di Sangro and Le Chalet de La Forêt in … [Read more...]
CostardiBros in Amsterdam for one off pop-up dinner at Peroni Risotteria
Christian and Manuel Costardi, also known as the CostardiBros, rose to fame for their risotto. Two brothers that are often considered as twins despite an age difference of 9 years where in Ristorante Hangar in Amsterdam on 9 October for a one evening pop up with Peroni Nastro Azzuro. They brought with them a number of iconic dishes that have made them famous not just in Italy over the past few years. Their focus was on rice, serving two main dishes as well as a dessert using rice that is so popular in their region. They presented Diversamente Tonnato by CostardiBros, a dish that is their interpretation of Vitello Tonnato, one of the most famous dishes of Italian and piedmont cuisine. “This dish came about during the opening of our new restaurant in Torino inside EDIT. It is impossible to open a restaurant in Torino without serving vitello tonnato. However, the meat that is served in this dish never appealed to us so we decided to work on the meat and the sauce using a fillet … [Read more...]
Riccardo Camanini joins the ‘seven wonders’ of Italian cuisine
Riccardo Camanini, chef of Lido 84 has been working under the radar since he joined his brother at Gardone Riviera. In the latest publication of the Guida Espresso, one of the most influential food guides in Italy, if not the most influential he has won 'five hats' together with the new three Michelin star restaurant St Hubertus del Rosa Alpina of chef Norbert Niederkofler. They join the top five chefs of Italian cuisine, recognised by many guides including the Michelin Guide as well as World's 50 Best Restaurants among others. These are Casadonna Reale of chef Niko Romito in Castel di Sangro, Le Calandre of chef Massimiliano Ajamo in Rubano, Osteria Francescana of chef Massimo Bottura in Modena, Piazza Duomo of chef Enrico Crippa in Alba and Uliassi of chef Mauro Uliassi in Senigallia. While the promotion of St Hubertus del Rosa Alpina was to be expected given the restaurant was recognised with 3 Michelin stars, the recognition for Lido 84 came a bit as a surprise for a chef who has … [Read more...]
Michelin star for Niko Romito’s Il Ristorante at Bulgari Hotel in Shanghai
Chef Niko Romito knows how important recognition can be. When he started Reale in Rivisondoli, a village of only 450 residents in Abruzzo as a self-taught cook, the people believed it was a miracle. Today, Reale is one of the best restaurants in the world and the chef is becoming one of the most internationally recognised Italian chefs in the world for his three Michelin star restaurant in Castel di Sangro. So the first Michelin star for his Il Ristorante - Niko Romito at the Bulgari Hotel in Shangai has notes of something very special because this is a completely new project that aims to showcase Italy's traditional cuisine in a contemporary manner. "I am extremely pleased because it is a sign that our project is being understood. My idea is to take the Italian tastes and flavours which each of us has in their memories everywhere while showcasing our traditional dishes. Obtaining such a result just over 2 months from the opening of our restaurant makes this even better," he told … [Read more...]
First Pizza Rossini festival showcases Italy’s most heretic pizza
Mention a pizza with pineapple and it is likely to make most Italians cringe with shock and awe. But the most heretic pizza with unusual and unexpected ingredients is the Pizza Rossini, a pizza margherita with egg and mayonnaise that will take centre stage at the first ever festival organised in Pesaro, Italy between 28 and 30 September. This pizza, a tribute to Rossini is very simple. It is made with a margherita base, generous amounts of hard-boiled egg and mayonnaise are added. It may sound bizarre but according to the most sceptics, it is still excellent. In this city in the Marche, the Rossini-mania has taken over moving from music to pizza. The festival, that will be organised in Piazza del Popolo in Pesaro, is part of the celebrations on the 150th anniversary of the death of Rossini. The aim is to make this recipe, a symbol of this city, known to as many people as possible. The name of the pizza pays tribute to a composer who is world famous. He is author of the Barber of … [Read more...]
Franco Pepe, the biggest name in pizza, arrives in Hong Kong
Franco Pepe, today's biggest name in pizza worldwide, has ventured outside of Italy for the first time with the opening of KYTALY which he co-owns with Alessandro Bortesi. The pizzeria and first Hong Kong Campari bar has officially opened its doors in the heart of Hong Kong. Born from the perfect harmony between “Ki”, the Japanese symbol of life’s energy, and “Italy”, the cradle of Mediterranean culture, the two values give identity and character to the concept. KYTALY has risen to the global stage for serving the best pizza in the world outside of Italy. Franco Pepe is today the biggest name in Pizza. He and his family of legendary bread-makers were the first to revolutionise the art of pizza making, choosing to create original recipes from scratch following the traditions and methods set out in his family. Working closely with his father, Franco Pepe learned everything there was to know from sourcing the freshest local ingredients to constructing the perfect dough and flour by … [Read more...]