Italian Chefs and Restaurants

[cortomaltese]

Dear Faith

knowing your great experience on the Italian cookery art I would like to know if in your opinion there is a restaurant or a chef that you think expresses overall the great tradition of the Italian couisine

thanks a million

Roberto Balbo

Edited November 15, 2004 by cortomaltese (log)

[Faith Willinger]

Ciao Roberto

Too many to list. The restaurants and chefs that thrill me the most express a sense of place and season. I just came back from a trip to Campania, where Gennaro Esposito of Torre del Saracino in Marina di Seiano, the Fischetti family at L'Oasis in Vallesaccarda, Berardino Lombardo at La Caveja in Pietravairano, and the Iaccarino family at Don Alfonso in Sant'Agata all express the greatest Italian traditions. I ate super-fresh fish and seafood, tiny suckling pig chops with sun-dried sweet peppers, a series of vegetable appetizers--vegetables straight from the farm, a "Vesuvius" of baked pasta, Annurca apples. Worth the voyage.

a presto

Faith

Dear Faith

knowing your great experience on the Italian cookery art I would like to know if in your opinion there is a restaurant or a chef that you think expresses overall the great tradition of the Italian couisine

thanks a million

Roberto Balbo

←

[albiston]

Ciao Roberto

Too many to list.  The restaurants and chefs that thrill me the most express a sense of place and season.  I just came back from a trip to Campania, where Gennaro Esposito of Torre del Saracino in Marina di Seiano, the Fischetti family at L'Oasis in Vallesaccarda, Berardino Lombardo at La Caveja in Pietravairano, and the Iaccarino family at Don Alfonso in Sant'Agata all express the greatest Italian traditions.  I ate super-fresh fish and seafood, tiny suckling pig chops with sun-dried sweet peppers, a series of vegetable appetizers--vegetables straight from the farm, a "Vesuvius" of baked pasta, Annurca apples.  Worth the voyage.

a presto

Faith

←

Ciao Faith,

as a Napoletano (now abroad) I must admit it makes me quite proud to hear such positive opinions on some of the best places in Campania. Having tried a few of these I couldn't agree more on your judgment: I had a fantastic dinner at Gennarino Esposito's place lately and I can only hope more young Italian cooks will follow his cooking style balanced between great local ingredients and traditions and a subtle creativity. The South was in the past often seen as the culinary backwaters of Italy, doyou have the feeling that it is undergoing a gastronomic renaissance in the past few years?

I'm slightly confused at seeing Don Alfonso in the list above, especially considering your previous comment on creative chefs in Italy. My experience at Don Alfonso goes back to 5 or 6 years ago, but at the time the style of the plates was to my eyes very much on the creative side, with many unusual ingredient combinations. The ingredients were clearly local, but so to my eyes are many of those Vissani uses, at least judging from his recipe book. Has the cooking style of Don Alfonso changed in these few years?

thanks,

Alberto

[Faith Willinger]

Ciao Roberto

I think the food at Don Alfonso has come back towards regional ingredients. There was a period a few years ago when this wasn't always the case. But I was there recently, twice, and found it better than ever. Bu the way, I adore Napoli and go there all the time, and have to eat at L'Europeo at least once on each trip. Do you know the Osteria degli Antichi Sapori on via Santa Lucia?

a presto

Faith

Ciao Roberto

Too many to list.  The restaurants and chefs that thrill me the most express a sense of place and season.  I just came back from a trip to Campania, where Gennaro Esposito of Torre del Saracino in Marina di Seiano, the Fischetti family at L'Oasis in Vallesaccarda, Berardino Lombardo at La Caveja in Pietravairano, and the Iaccarino family at Don Alfonso in Sant'Agata all express the greatest Italian traditions.  I ate super-fresh fish and seafood, tiny suckling pig chops with sun-dried sweet peppers, a series of vegetable appetizers--vegetables straight from the farm, a "Vesuvius" of baked pasta, Annurca apples.  Worth the voyage.

a presto

Faith

←

Ciao Faith,

as a Napoletano (now abroad) I must admit it makes me quite proud to hear such positive opinions on some of the best places in Campania. Having tried a few of these I couldn't agree more on your judgment: I had a fantastic dinner at Gennarino Esposito's place lately and I can only hope more young Italian cooks will follow his cooking style balanced between great local ingredients and traditions and a subtle creativity. The South was in the past often seen as the culinary backwaters of Italy, doyou have the feeling that it is undergoing a gastronomic renaissance in the past few years?

I'm slightly confused at seeing Don Alfonso in the list above, especially considering your previous comment on creative chefs in Italy. My experience at Don Alfonso goes back to 5 or 6 years ago, but at the time the style of the plates was to my eyes very much on the creative side, with many unusual ingredient combinations. The ingredients were clearly local, but so to my eyes are many of those Vissani uses, at least judging from his recipe book. Has the cooking style of Don Alfonso changed in these few years?

thanks,

Alberto

←

[albiston]

Ciao Roberto

I think the food at Don Alfonso has come back towards regional ingredients.  There was a period a few years ago when this wasn't always the case.  But I was there recently, twice, and found it better than ever.  Bu the way, I adore Napoli and go there all the time, and have to eat at L'Europeo at least once on each trip.  Do you know the Osteria degli Antichi Sapori on via Santa Lucia?

a presto

Faith

←

Faith,

thanks for the opinion on Don Alfonso, I should really try it again next time I visit my relatives in Naples. L'Europeo is one of my favorites in Naples, though my last visit is not as recent as I'd like, instead I never heard of Antichi Sapori before. I'll definitely have to give it a try, thanks for the tip!

ciao e grazie,

Alberto

[Faith Willinger]

Ciao Alberto

I love the Osteria, a grocery store that serves food. Don't forget to check out the chocolate ladies at Persichella.

a presto

Faith

Ciao Roberto

I think the food at Don Alfonso has come back towards regional ingredients.  There was a period a few years ago when this wasn't always the case.  But I was there recently, twice, and found it better than ever.  Bu the way, I adore Napoli and go there all the time, and have to eat at L'Europeo at least once on each trip.  Do you know the Osteria degli Antichi Sapori on via Santa Lucia?

a presto

Faith

←

Faith,

thanks for the opinion on Don Alfonso, I should really try it again next time I visit my relatives in Naples. L'Europeo is one of my favorites in Naples, though my last visit is not as recent as I'd like, instead I never heard of Antichi Sapori before. I'll definitely have to give it a try, thanks for the tip!

ciao e grazie,

Alberto

←