MARGAUX:    Tell us about who or what inspired you to study the culinary arts ?

WUTTI:  What has inspired me most, was a Magazine interview, on Chef Rene Redzepi and an interview on Chef Grant Achatz.

MARGAUX:    At the moment, what do you deem as the most important creative forms of food design ..

WUTTI:   Shapes and Colours.

MARGAUX:   Spring is a very special time of year.  Tell us about what products, do you have ready available that you implement into your dishes.

WUTTI:  Fresh ingredients from the land and the sea and the employing of wild local flower varieties.  With a tropical climate, fertile soil, and plentiful water, Phuket Island can grow uncountable floral varieties.   At this time, Thailand is the 2nd largest exporter of orchids.  Furthermore, both Phuket Island and Thailand´s  mainland have diverse geographical features, from the highlands in the north and the river delta tropical lands in the south.

MARGAUX:     If money were no problem, and you could travel to the land of your dreams for gastronomic research, and staging, where would you like to travel to and why ?

WUTTI:  Money is not problem, however, my  work keeps me up to my ears in “busy” .  My dream or passion is  going to all the  local  areas  of Thailand, to learn more about the indigeniosu  ingredieants  and how to deverlop and incorporate them into my menus.

MARGAUX:   What is your culinary philosophy ?

WUTTI: My culinary philosophy is all about the balancing of beautiful, natural ingredients and creating an enjoyable, unforgettable and unsurpassed dining experience.

MARGAUX:     What qualities are necessary  to be successful in the restaurant business and what do you find most challenging ?  Most rewarding ?

WUTTI:   Keeping and obtaining the quality   standards  with providing  Value for Money.

Margaux:  Massimo, it is such an honor to have an Interview from you.  Could you please tell us, what or who were the catalysts, that motivated your profound interest in Truffles ?

Massimo: When, I was a child, I had discovered the art of truffles, when I accompanied my uncle.  The early morning preparation and going to the mountains, with the dogs, is where my profound interest really started.

Once the dog pointed to the location where there could of been a possible truffle, it was like a gold rush for me, being well versed in how difficult it was to find truffles.  I had started to think of the commercial business end of trading, buying and selling this bespoken gift of Mother Nature and I had gotten hooked !

It has always fascinated me, how people spend so much money for a mere few grams of truffles. So, I had begun to bring truffles to Chefs and Restaurateurs, who would be the real promoters and skipping the “middle-men”.  It is a grand pleasure to collaborate with professional Chefs.

Margaux:   Could you tell our audience, what are the main types of truffles, where they are from and how are they implemented in the culinary arts  ?

Massimo:   For me, there are four major categories of truffles, which nature provides all year long.

The “King of Truffles” is the White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico) from Alba, Piedmont or Tuscany.  The white truffle is a wild tuber and nobody to date, has found a way to farm them.  The most pungent flavour and the season dominate the kitchen from late September through late December.  It is implemented in a wide variety of culinary dishes.

The Black Winter Truffle (Tuber Melanosporum) grows in Italy, Spain and France. The season starts from late November, and goes through early March.  Predominately used in Italian and French regional gastronomy. It pairs exceptionally well with fish and meat.  As for its cousin, The Australian Black Winter Truffle, the main nuance, is that it is farmed in the Southern Hemisphere from June to August.  It is commonly used in French cuisine.

The Summer Truffle (Tuber Aestivum) mostly found in the South of Europe, and is widely used to garnish dishes worldwide.  The season begins from June through September. It pairs extraordinarily with almost anything including pastas, pizzas and potatoes.

Margaux:  What are your favorite dishes utilising truffles  ?

Massimo:   One of my favorite dishes is the White Truffle on a sunny side up egg, or on fresh tagliolini with butter. Another penchant of mine is Black Winter Truffle on Lobster with truffle reductions in a truffle sauce and last but not least,  Summer Truffles, on Beef Carpaccio.

Margaux:   What were the main reasons for relocating from Italy to Dubai ?

Massimo:   I actually spent eight-teen years in Manhatan, doing the same thing more or less. I was importing and selling truffles directly to the top Chefs and Restaurateurs.  In 2011, I had the opportunity to visit Dubai, and it seemed like “The New Las Vegas”.  Amazing hotels, beautiful restaurants, no taxes and nobody doing “truffle trading” properly.  After two months, I decided to open Italtouch, Dubai.

Margaux:   Tell our readers about what other delicacies Italtouch sources.

Massimo:   Trading truffles has made me “popular” in the circle of Chefs and I have maintained an excellent rapport with most of the top chefs here in Dubai.   I have added a line of caviar, foie gras de canard, Halal Charcuterie, Balsamic Vinegars, Vegetables, Rices, and Pasta.  All top quality standard and are branded Italtouch.

Margaux:    If money were not a problem, tell us what is your gastronomic dream trip ?

Massimo:    I would  fly off  to Massimo  Bottura in Modena, Italy,  Joan Roca in Girona, Spain, Alain Ducasse in France,  Rene Redzepi in Copenhagen, Denmark,  Daniel Humm &  Daniel Boulud in  Manhattan, and Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in Napa Valley.

Thank you for the opportunity to share what “floats my boat” and my passions and profound interest in truffles.

Massimo Vidoni

Margaux:   Where were you born and raised ?

Maurizio:  I was born in Arona, on  Lago Maggiore in the Piedmont Region ..

Margaux:  Who is Maurizio Pelli ?

Maurizio:  I am a former businessman who has been  retired in Dubai since 1999,  and a frequent traveler to my home land, Italy for business  and pleasure, I am presently a penning author, private chef and Italian Cuisine consultant for passion and pleasure.

Margaux:  The Book:  Fettucccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Bolognaise & Caesar Salad, The Triumph of the World´s False Italian Cuisine:  Tell us, what or who inspired you to pen such an amazing book?

Maurizio:   After travelling around the world for many decades,  as a businessman,  I was put into a position where I had to eat in the “supposed to be” Italian restaurants abroad.

99% of those restaurants are not Italian at all, and maybe they are Italian sounding to attract customers, however, surely not, what we consider authentic traditional  Italian dishes and specialties.

For this reason I wrote this book, dedicated to foreigners who like our cuisine but don’t know what is really  authentic Italian cuisine and to  defend my viewpoints from the aggression of   forgers, falsifiers, and those mystified by our wonderful cuisine,  alimentary products and specialties.

The book in paperback is in English only and not in Italian.

The English paperback and all the E-Book versions and Kindle are in English and Italian and are available on:  Amazon.

Furthermore, The English paperback and all the E-Book versions  including Kindle are also available  in Italian and English on my website at a special discount:  www.the culinaryclinic.it .

Note, my new book to be published shortly, shall be on sale in the same manner.

Margaux:  With the goals to promote the true authentic classic Italian regional cuisines, you are an advisot to the Italian Cuisine World Summit in Dubai.  Please tell us more about this ?

Maurizio:   After winning the award for my book during the “Italian Cuisine World Summit” in 2013, I have become an active part of both the Summit and the “Italian Cuisine in the World Forum” and from 2014,  I have been collaborating with these international organizations.

Since 2017, I am amongst  the founding members of the ICWF “Italian Cuisine World Foundation”  in  which we have asked UNESCO for intangible heritage for  Italian cuisine abroad during The Expo 2015 in Milan.  This has been the must quintessential  starting point of the Italian cuisine promoting globally.

Margaux:   Tell us about your new book almost ready to be published.

Maurizio:  Unfortunately my new book is suffering a delay, and I hope it shall be on the market soon!

It Is totally different from my 1^st book-   It’s about my ‘Dubai’s Deluxe Dinner Party’ as a Private chef in Dubai. The craziness, demanding and extravagant dinners of the elite cosmopolitan Dubai´s affluent and rich residents and expats.

A behind-the-scenes vision of the hidden Dubai gastronomic oriented and passionate culinary dining customers and their gourmand palates.

Margaux:   What would you recommend to a young man or young woman who wanted to pursue a career in the culinary arts ?

Maurizio:   To be ready to demonstrate their personalities and learnt skills to date. To be authentic and not to follow fads or the fashion of the moment,  and never ever copy somebody already famous but create your own style.

Margaux:  It has been stated worldwide, that “we eat with our eyes”. What are your viewpoints on the art of plating ?  Do you have a style ?  Which are your color preferences ? Which tools do you use ?   What do you deem as necessary in a successfully presented plate ?

This, for me is a controversial viewpoint especially regarding Italian dishes. Our specialties have evolved from centuries ago and they have reached the beauty naturally without forced makeup.

This does not mean that they cannot be visually or more attractive as long as they do not overwhelm the soul of the dish.  Especially regarding the Italian regional cuisine, as it is not possible to add something that is not territorially compatible.

The plating already has changed in last few years, and the portions are smaller and easier to plate with style. The favorite colors of our dishes are always, the ones of our national flag: red, white and green!

I employ the same tools like any other chef:  Forks, rings and sac a poche!

Every plate is different, and successfully food designed  plates to me are the ones which reach their beauty naturally by themselves,  like a beautiful woman !

Several years ago, they decided to move into the Capital.

Chef Mario has written several books, including Whiskey and Food, which includes a gold mine of recipes for the home gourmet in mind.

Margaux:  Tell us about your autumn 2019 carte.

Mario:  Noquis Boletus Mushroom buttons served in an Iberian Ham broth is a nice warmer.  Autumn´s seasonal vegetables from the family garden, Grilled Crevettes (carabiñeros) with a pinch of curry salt and citrus. Portobello with poached egg and a sprinkling of black truffle.  Escabechado of Sea Bream.  Roast lacquered in our wood ovens, Braised on flame wild squid, and Suckling Piglet (cochinillo)

Margaux:  Wow!   Amazingly extraordinary. And for dessert ?

Mario:  Columbian Maracuya Fruit with Rum Candy and also a Chocolate something.

Margaux:  To move on, tell us about your 1^st restaurant, in Humanes.

Mario:  Firstly, Humanes is 28 kilometres from the center of Madrid via railway. Coque had become a quintessential dining point of reference at an international level. I was the youngest Chef at that time to receive a Michelin Star in 2006.  I was twenty five years old.

Margaux:  I understand that you have also worked with Relais & Chateaux Hotels.

Mario:  Yes, I had worked at Hotel Orfile in Barrio Colón.  It was an exemplary experience and period of grand growth.

Margaux:   2020, do you have any projects or goals in mind ?

Mario:   A second Michelin Star, hopefully ..  And to enlargen our organic gardens.

What is your “Wine Story”?

It’s the story of my life; many stories throughout my life that brought me to where I am now. Everything started when my Grandma used to give me pieces of bread dipped in red wine, telling me not to tell anyone because it was our secret. She wanted me to taste the wine, as her way of telling me that wine is such an important part of our culture. That was her message to me.

Years later, my mum would tell me adventurous stories of my uncle Ugo, an amazing cook, who in the 60s would drive to Bordeaux from the Veneto region in Italy, to attend a wine dinner, and return the next day. It was a great passion for good wine and good food, which is definitely in my DNA as well.

What role has food and wine played in your upbringing and family?

Food and wine is a part of our Italian culture. We used to have dinner or lunch with family, with parents. My mum is still a good cook, so I’ve been spoiled by delicious food. She learnt to cook three different styles, from three different regions of Italy. Veneto, where she’s from, Abruzzo, where my dad is from and Marche, where my parents live and have lived for many years.

For us Italians, the passion for food and wine starts from our family homes. In my hometown, Senigallia and the surrounding areas, the food and wine offering is of high quality – the quality of the ingredients and raw materials. We Italians are quite spoilt for food and wine. You can’t escape from it.

Were you ever in the kitchen cooking with your mother?

I used to be in the kitchen, yes. I was quite curious about my mum cooking, so I would watch her and learn. As a result, later on in my life experience and living abroad, I’ve always been able to cook good food for myself and friends. Thanks to the skills I picked up from my mother, and my grandmothers – learning at home.

What are the most important aspects of Italian food?

I’m not a chef, so I will answer as a food and wine lover. For me, it is the quality of the raw material and the attention to detail. We Italians have always paid much attention to detail. In the arts, in music, painting, architecture, sculpting as well. I will say also, the most important thing is tradition and authenticity.

We’re still cooking dishes we’ve been cooking for thousands of years, so we still have those recipes from all those years ago. Each region, each province, and in each province, every city has its recipes and its style. We have hundreds of recipes that have been inherited since centuries ago. So food and how to cook food is part of our tradition and our history. You can imagine how vast the tradition and history of Italian food is.

Another important thing is that each dish is perfectly paired with a wine from the same area. So it’s a natural, perfect pairing. This is what we are doing here at Luca Ciní – A Wine Story. Making traditional style food from the ancient recipes, using the best raw materials possible, and pairing the right dishes with the right wine.

How would you describe Italian cuisine?

The flavours are given by the product that we use. You don’t have to add many things to add to the flavour of the food. When the products are already good, they already have a great flavour.

In my hometown, for example, we have great seafood. You can cut open raw fish and add a

few drops of good olive oil and salt, and it’ll be great. You could do the same with a tomato – add a drop of olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and it’ll taste great. The flavour is in the quality of the ingredients, so the concept is that we don’t want to change the natural flavours of our food.

What series of events led you to settle in Phuket and launching Luca Ciní?

Everything started 20 years ago, more or less. I was tired of my previous job and started getting more and more connected to what was at that time, and still is my biggest passion – wine. I started going to a very good wine bar after work with a good friend of mine, who is now a chef. It was the first wine bar in my hometown serving high-quality wine by the glass, with appetizers.

My curiosity for wine was growing, so I decided to attend sommelier classes. I attended three levels of Italian Sommelier Association to become a sommelier, and three months of wine marketing at the Gambero Rosso school in Rome. I quit my previous job and started a wine distribution and representative agency with a partner in my area. We were selling very prestigious wines within our territory.

I then opened a wine shop in my hometown. That’s when I received a call from a friend of mine in Hong Kong, whose company was looking for a manager in the wine industry. This was the beginning of 2011 when I decided to move to live and work in Hong Kong. I found the wine market was oversaturated and it led to a stressful lifestyle.

On a short trip to Koh Samui, I fell in love with Thailand and decided to change lifestyle. I chose Phuket because it was a more connected and internationally oriented destination. After a few months of trying to figure out what to do, it became apparent that the calibre of the wine offering, five years ago, was low. I thought it was an open market for good quality wine. Along with my passion for selling wine, the good amount of interest in high-quality wine and the recently opened Boat Avenue, Phuket made an ideal location to start the shop.

The Osteria concept may be foreign to some. Could you explain it?

Osteria is a very common concept in Italy. It has been around since ancient Rome, where they had shops selling food and selling wine as well. They were set up in strategic locations; selling refreshments and food to travellers. They quickly became a meeting and aggregation points, and often featured music, although easy food and wine were the main focus.

Over time the style has changed, and now my Osteria is a place where you go dressed casually, enjoy good wine and traditional food – food sometimes not on the menu, because chef Bruna will find something special in the market on a day, and create a special dish for that week. This is also the main difference between my Osteria and a restaurant. The food on offer isn’t strictly what’s on the menu.

In summary, the concept is quite simple. A relaxed atmosphere, good food, good wine and good music.

For someone interested in understanding the process involved in pairing the right wine with a dish, how does it work?

Well, when a customer selects a dish, I can suggest the right wine to go with it. Many factors are involved. This is something that was part of my training, but also part of my 35 years of experience.

What was your vision for your career when you started in this industry?

I always travel – physically or in my mind. With my previous job, I wasn’t satisfied. When I started working with wine, my desire was always to work abroad. It’s always been one of my dreams – to work abroad with wine and food. Anyone who knows me would tell me that they knew I would have never lived and worked in my hometown forever. Sooner or later I was going to leave and do something somewhere else. The wine was the right tool and the right reason for me to be able to achieve this vision.

What industry similarities and differences have you found between Phuket and Italy?

I could see at the time that the wine market was not mature, and this was a positive thing. In

Italy, I had a wine bar and wine shop, but there are many competitors and the market is saturated. It’s always been different here; like a mission. A mission for me to bring Italian wines, food and culture, which are all tightly connected to Phuket.

The market then was ready to receive this challenge, so I think I did it at the right time. I saw a gap in the market so the opportunity was there. Several people, five or so years ago thought my idea to open a wine shop selling only Italian wines was crazy. I remember them telling me that. Maybe I was crazy, maybe I knew what I was doing – but I’m passionate, so it worked. If you have passion, professionalism and knowledge, and do it the right way – with some luck it could work.

Right after I opened, many other wine bars opened, and the wine knowledge grew and more and more Italian wines were imported and more high-quality wines came into the marketplace.

Have you seen growth in the knowledge and interest in wine since you opened?

Definitely. There has been, in the last five years a lot of interest in western cuisine but more specifically higher quality, authentic Italian food and wine. My clientele consists of local expats and a large contingent of local Thais, this is my biggest achievement with the shop, I think.

What has been the highlight of your journey here in Phuket?

There isn’t one highlight. Every year there is one improvement, or event that tells me that I’m doing the right thing here. Things like the growth in the interest of the clients, the renovation of the shop, having a great staff and the addition of new staff.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank my manager Iddy, who has been with me since day one. She’s a very important part of the shop and has always supported me in achieving what we have here. I’d also like to thank Bruna, my amazing chef (even if she prefers to be called cook). Finally, I’d like to thank Thailand, and Phuket, my home, for allowing me to fulfil my dreams.

What can our readers look forward to in the coming months from Luca Ciní?

We’re always working to keep the atmosphere quite vibrant. We organise exclusive events, private events, events at my osteria, events at villas. We try to have an event every month. We bring food and wine producers from Italy and organise wine tastings with them. We have one coming up in November, but for now, I won’t tell you anything else. You’ll have to wait and see.

Philippe, let´s start with a totally basic question, how do you write ?  With a pen, with a pencil or via computer or mechanical pencil  ?

Normally, I work with pencil and paper. But often enough, I can also work with a voice dictation recorder that automatically transcribes text on my computer.

Tell us, about Visions Gourmandes. How did you create the concept ?  What inspired your dedication to Visions Gourmandes ?

This is certainly the most interesting question.

It all started one day when I was invited as a jury member of a culinary competition. The most interesting notation seemed to be the one concerning the presentation.

So I wanted to document me and I desperately looked for a book relating the subject. Impossible to find, even in foreign language.

It was at that moment that the idea of ​​a reference work on straightening the plate was born.

What was the book writing process like ?

I started writing the book in 2013.

My plan was a simple idea: first, a theoretical and technical part of the concepts that make a dish  successful. Then the visual part with a number of culinary creations, each accompanied by a procedure for its implementation.

What were the most challenging chapters in the book and why ?

I wrote the first part of the book relatively quickly and rather easily because I mastered in the different aspects.

What has been most difficult to achieve concerned the enforcement and the creation of all the original culinary works that are found in the book.

My first idea was to use various professionals and above all creative chefs to create the fifty plates.

This proved impractical very quickly and logistically and impractical in my perspective.

I had done a re think, and pondered on the idea, of catering schools and to have students work under my artistic direction with the help of their teachers.

Again, the idea had proved too complicated to implement

After, I imagined get a group of   culinary photographers who could serve as intermediaries between their clients and my idea of the book.

Finally, I decided I had to perform all of the labors, and  photograph the book myself,  and all the works  composed in  the book are mine and the illustrations are my mother´s.

So that was the hardest part, but it was also the most interesting part in the realization of this book.

Did you actually take notes prior to writing the book ?  Did you write your thoughts down for the book during other professional activities ?

No note taking. No thoughts collected over that period of time. The writing of the first part of the book was done in one go. Once the defined plan, it was relatively quick and easy to write all the chapters.

When were your best writing moments, the early am or late at night ?  Did you have a specific time period where the words seems to flow off the pen so to speak ?

I had the chance to write the book in idyllic conditions rather because I was on a distant tropical island for a few months in the sun, especially in the morning, during the spring 2013.

A judicious mix of documentation and reflections enabled me to write all the text in one go.

Did you video tape the preparation of the dishes ?

Unfortunately I have no videos on the implementation of all my dishes.

It was hard enough to coordinate the implementation and management of each photo in my creations.

That said, it had seemed to me, quite interesting to imagine now,  the achievement of pre-made dishes in the form of instructional videos.

Can we talk a little bit about the naming of the recipes ? What inspired these extraordinary names ?

If this question is put to me, have you enjoyed  all these titles  ?

In fact, I imagined relatively quickly, at a time when it was necessary to define the layout. At this point, I have not thought much about each title. I especially instinctively laid out what was going through my mind as what inspired me, of  this or that dish.

In 2013, prior to our meeting, I recall you mentioning that you were going to utilize some of the uncountable comments that have been made online. Is there going to be a second book or a sequel to Visions Gourmandes ?

In reality, because this book seems rather comprehensive, and I did not see how I could imagine a sequel.

I could possibly add new creations under different themes, or write books  for each theme, an artistic coordination with a creative professional chef. However, this would be a book rather than an  expansion and not a sequel.

I would prefer to direct training modules in videos.

To continue this project, I rather would   organize Master Classes to help all cooking enthusiasts, professionals or amateurs, to create beautiful presentations of plates.

Can you tell us about the challenges that you had faced in the process of publishing a book of this nature, a first of its type ?

I have already spoken of a first difficulty was to find who would create the dishes that make up the book.

But more broadly, the challenge was to combine all the skills needed to produce a book.

Fortunately, I was well surrounded by a few friends who had helped me by intervening in various parts of the book.

Fortunately, my career has allowed me to calmly deal with all aspects of the realization and the production of the book, in particular concerning the photos, the computer part, the administrative part and thousands of other details because this book has been fully directed and financed at own expense, from design to distribution.

How did you get yourself into the mental space required to write this kind of Professional Culinary Artist´s course, for lack of a better word, to provide such a thorough and complete text on the art of plating ?

It’s like having a child. It is the passion for one´s baby that gives  all of us,  the energy to move forward. Add to that a good dose of passion for the subject, and you will achieve this result very honorably,  and be recognized as a success by all amateurs and professionals.

Margaux:  What are your planned projects and goals for Wine and Food Society in 2020 ?

George: We are going to create wine and food selections and make these treasures accessible to the connoisseurs in Europe by placing electronic stores for each country. Due to the scale and the specifics of the regional productions and the policy of the large commercial structures, there is no way oil of high quality, produced in Italy or Greece, to reach the final connoisseurs in Denmark for example…., Wine & Food Society offers a solution to this problem. We start with Italian, French, Spanish and Bulgarian selections, in which will be offered unique products from these countries for the European market for now.

It’s not just a store like those you already know. If you choose a product you get a recommendation with which wine to enjoy it, as well as a recipe for its preparation. For this the chefs are an indispensable part of this project. Our tendency is to recommend recipes from the regional cuisine.

Margaux:  If money were not an issue, what is your gastronomic dream trip and why ?

George: Everywhere where there is still regional cuisine, because it is the cultural memory of the mankind.

Margaux:  Who are your food icons?

George: My friend – Du Chef Radichev, who produces an unique goat cheese with truffles.

Margaux:  Tell us briefly about some of grape varieties cultivated in Blugaria.

George: In the Bulgarian lands wine has been produced for millennia, but what the modern ones can taste is Mavrud, typical Melnik Vine /the so-called “Shiroka Melnishka Loza”/, Gamfor. From the later created varieties Rubin is my favorite.

Margaux:   What are your favorite Bulgarian dishes?

George: Chomlek, it is a dish of meat and vegetables splashed with a red wine, which is cooked very slowly in a crock.

Margaux:  Last but not least, what is your favorite food product and how do you enjoy it ?

George: What in Italy is called Prosciutto, in Spain – Hamon, in Bulgaria is Salted Pork Ham from the area of the town of Elena. I like to combine it with Mavrud.

Marguax:  What were your first experiences in the kitchen ?

Since I was a child, my family had prepared me and taught me about the quality of the raw materials, ingredients and the basis of fine Italian regional cuisine.  For example, the varying types of tomatoes. They told me, “ a tomato is not just a tomato. There are a wide variety of tomatoes,, and they are a profound ingredient of Italian Culture”. They also instilled within me, to know how to use which tomatoes in what dishes. In a fresh pasta for example, the Vesuviani Tomatoes are the best variety.

Margaux:  A dish closest to your heart ?

Using fresh produce, I have been creating deceptively simply Mediterranean delicacies, since my childhood.

Margaux:  What ingredients do you prefer to use ?

If I am making a tomato sauce or a Ragu, the best tomato to employ is the San Mariano. If I am creating a Caprese Salad, or a tomato salad, then the most tasty variety are the Cuore di Bue Tomato.  I had learnt from the ground up about our lands and our raw materials. Our land is dotted with lemon groves, vineyards and olive trees.

Margaux:   In what direction is Italian Cuisine heading ?

My most important gastronomic trip of 2013 was Japan. There, I had really seen how the Japanerse treat their ingredients and respect their food. Japan is a country where the quality of the products are very highly appreciated and honored.  Furthermore, we respect the bio diversity worldwide and the exceptional ingredients of the Amazon and Peru, for example. We want to give these indigenious people the chance to farm and by providing them with employment and incomes, so they can maintain the agricultural product growth, or they shall be lost.    Italy needs to adopt to this form of preserving the food culture.

Margaux:  Do you have a tiny secret to share with us as a prominent Two Michelin Starred Chef ?

“Presentation is essential of course, however, we also believe the most important part of a dish is the taste”.

“It is the most memorable thing we have about a dish, its taste”.

With this in mind, I create the unforgettable.

Food styling or dressage is absolutely quintessential but the quality of the ingredients we use is the most revelant aspect.  The research is based on the highest quality available ingredients both local and foreign.

Last year, I had travelled to Peru and Chile to research new ingredients to use at my restaurant.

Margaux:   Chef Ernesto, one dish which sums up Don Alfonso 1890 ?

At our Restaurant, we specialise in modern regional Italian cuisine, maintaining its identity, however, we want to respect our traditions, our roots, and our culture.   The usage of organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the organic vegetables that come from our organic farm, which faces the Isle of Capri, are the key ingredients of our cooking.  This is our way of eating.

MARGAUX:   What do you think is the best to cook or make?

Dimitri:  I love making different fresh pasta types, and Japanese cuisine. In the late 1980’s, I first came into contact with Japanese cuisine. I was immediately addicted to the good food and the beauty of this kitchen. In the early nineties I started making my own sushi. Now, looking back, these sushi was very bad, because we could hardly get the right ingredients here in the Netherlands. Only soon later in the nineties these ingredients became easier to find. I love making different fresh pasta types, and Japanese cuisine. In the late 1980’s, I first came into contact with Japanese cuisine. I was immediately addicted to the good food and the beauty of this kitchen. In the early nineties I started making my own sushi. Now, looking back, these sushi was very bad, because we could hardly get the right ingredients here in the Netherlands. Only soon later in the nineties these ingredients became easier to find. And so I could further prefect myself with making sushi.

MARGAUX:    Where do you get your inspiration?

Dimitri: Via the Internet. I’m so happy that we have internet now. I can now quickly get to know a lot of dishes. Because of the online videos, I often get ideas for making existing dishes that I’ve been making for years now in another way. Through the internet, you will be creative to try out new things.

MARGAUX:    What new things are you trying for now?

Dimitri:  I am now writing recipes for several De’Longhi, Braun and Kenwood kitchen machines. These machines will force you to put existing recipes in a new jacket. And to describe that everybody who tries these recipes on Kenwood machines is also easy to get out of it. It’s very nice to do. With the latest machines, the Cooking Chef gourmet can even cook sous-vide. This again opened many new possibilities for this kitchen machine.

MARGAUX:      Have you authored any books, seminars, courses, blogs, newsletters or a website ?

Dimitri:   Yes I have helped on a book “end of privacy” from author Adjiedj Bakas, he is trend watcher. And I write recipes for the Dutch and Belgian De’Longhi, Braun and Kenwoodclub sites.

MARGAUX:     If you could take one month to travel to any gastronomic dream destination for you, where would you travel to and why ?

Dimitri:  O, it’s not a dream next year I am going to Japan. I want to learn and understand if my sushi skills is the same as the real masters in Japan. I think if you want to grow in your skills then you must understand the background of the culture. Only then you can grow in your skills.

MARGAUX:     What further plans do you have in the future?

Dimitri:  To write more recipes and try out new combinations. At this moment, I’m experimenting with molecular cooking, to catch Italian flavors in caviar and to process it again with a sous vide dish. I also like to combine old craft with the latest technologies, such as fresh pasta from Kenwood machines, using old wooden Corzetti pasta stamps. And besides, I read a lot of cookbooks and different cuisines from all over the world. So for the time being, I still have a lot to learn and write new recipes. But the most important thing is that people enjoy what I make.

FACE TO FACE AT EL POBLET, DÉNIA, ALICANTE.

Margaux:   Firstly, how would you describe your cuisine?

QD:    Vanguard Spanish Cuisine.

Margaux:   Can you tell us about your summer ingredients?

QD:  Marine algaes, sea lettuces, sea urchins, albacore tuna, Dénia red prawns, almonds, oranges and embryonic vegetables.

Margaux:  Tell us about the early stages of your career.

QD:   By accident, I arrived in Dénia, from Jarandilla de La Vera, Extremadura, to spend a summer vacation when I was fourteen.  I was terribly bored and did not know anybody. I decided to get a part time job at the local Pizzeria.  This had been my first contact with a restaurant. “It was not exactly a culinary position, however, it sparked the flames of culinary interest”.

Margaux:   Tell our readership about your palate.

QD:  I do not have a favorite dish or preferred flavor. I like just about all and am extraordinarily flexible and open minded.

Margaux:  Tell us about your Degustation Carte.

QD:  The idea was initially very clear. I had reconstructed Montgo´s Nature Reserve, and the shore, that is to transform the live sensations utilising the extraordinary products and state of the art kitchen equipment.

THE LATEST TASTER´s CARTE.

SNACK, CRACKLE & CRISP TOAST SNACKS:  Reggiano Parmigiano, Black Olives, Walnuts, Greek Phyllo and Dried Fruit snacking crisps similar to a cracker, however, in a bread stick type format.

TRUFA BLANCA DE MONTGÓ:   White truffles filled with Reggiano Parmigiano, fresh goat cheese and blended with white truffles and sprinkled with five wild mushroom dust ..

LA BRUMA:   Steamed baby embroyonic snow peas, baby lima beans, aromatic herbs, pinenuts, sprouts in a steamed garden.

MOSHI:   Cockles, langoustines and pansies in sea broth.

IMPRESIONISMO LA ROCA:   Fresh rock oysters and baby squid in gel format.

EXPRESIONISMO ROJO:   Inspired by Painter Mark Rotho, red mullet with saffron.

DESSERT 1:   Budding cherries with pastry crumbs.

DESSERT 2:  Green melon, dried fruits and Mandarin smear.