CASTEL DI SANGRO: Reale, one of the most magical restaurants in the world will reopen on 2 July following the lockdown in Italy. And it will be a special reopening because it will coincide with the 20th anniversary since they took over the restaurant after their father had passed away.
For the month of July only, Cristiana and Niko will propose a unique menu which will be exclusive and never to be repeated again.
“2020 is not an ordinary year for us not just because of the pandemic but also because it is 20 years since Cristiana and I took over the restaurant and opened Reale. These past months have allowed us to reflect on our gastronomic and entrepreneurial paths. It has given us the time to return back to the core motivations of why we took this path and how our passion for this work came about,” Niko said.
“Travelling back in time has brought back ideas, choices, experiments and research. With this reflection we have decided to restart by going back in time and offer a menu to those who love our cuisine and at the same time to the many youngsters who might be passionate about food but who might not always be able to afford going to fine dining restaurants,” the Italian chef said.
He said that they wanted to offer the possibility to many guests the chance to discover how the thinking process has evolved with a menu which will never be repeated and a way to create a new one which will look at the future.
From 2 July to 2 August, for 150 euros, guests will be able to have a 15 course menu which includes the most significant dishes and research that chef Romito has created from 2000 till today.
It will start from the Ravioli with sheep ricotta (2004), a great classic from the Abruzzo mountains to the pancotto of 2004 which is a dish that represents Niko’s evolution as a chef. There will be the absolute of carrots, parmesan and saffron from 2009, the bread from 2011 and also the pigeon dish with pistacchio among others.
During these times of the pandemic, the 20 year menu also reflects the importance of showcasing products from the region which are an integral part of the Reale experience.
From 3 August, Niko will focus on the future. Niko will be creating new dishes that will define Reale’s future.
Cristiana Romito said that this moment was unique. “Today, luxury is about being confident where you are. Today, more than ever, this has become a primary necessity. We want our guests to feel welcome in an elegant but also warm and elegant way.”
Like Niko’s cuisine, the dining room of Reale is minimalist without any frills. You could say it is anticonformist but that is the essence of Niko’s cuisine.
From August, Niko will introduce a new menu which will go further deep into his philosophy of removing all the frills from a dish. “It will continue to follow the philosophy of focusing on the essential, on cleaning everything and focusing on the best possible taste of an ingredient. A cuisine that is very minimalist on the plate but with huge flavours in each bite. To reach this there is a lot of technique and innovation.”
Niko Romito is a self taught chef who took over Reale in 2000. He is one off the top chefs in Italy having clinched 3 Michelin stars in 7 years and has also created the Niko Romito Group which comprises a hotel where the restaurant is housed, a cookery school, Spazio Niko Romito in Milan, Rome and Rivasondloni, Alt Stazione del Gusto and restaurants in collaboration with Bvlgari Hotel and Resorts in Beijing, Shanghai, Dubai and Milan among others.
More about Niko Romito
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