This week marked the launch of Massimo Bottura’s Refettorio Ambrosiano, a once-derelict theatre in Milan. It has been re-purposed to educate and feed refugees and working poor who reside across town, far from the multinational pavilions welcoming culinary tourists to this summer’s Expo Milano 2015. Here, some of the world’s best chefs, including Bottura, will be cooking for students and the poor using food waste transported from Milan Expo. It is an incredibly beautiful project and one which deserves all the support it can get. You can read about it either in English or Italian. The English link from the New York Times also has the recipe of Massimo Bottura’s Bread is Gold, a dish he served at the Milan Expo a few weeks ago and one which will be served at the refectory in the coming weeks.
One of the world’s best restaurants Alinea, based in Chicago, will be going through a renovation. Grant Achatz, the chef of this restaurant, said the reason for this renovation is that they don’t want to become a museum of themselves. Europeans will be pleased to know that they will not need to travel to Chicago to try Alinea as a pop-up restaurant is set to open next year. The dates or locations are not known but Alinea is about to sign contracts with pop-ups in Madrid and Miami and one of them is expected in January or February 2016. Read interview here.
Peruvian cuisine is taking the world by storm and now there is a group of chefs who wants to turn ceviche into “a universal dish, so that one day ceviche restaurants will be opening all over the world.” Read about it here.
Corey Lee, chef of San Francisco restaurant Benu, which has earned its third Michelin star, has just published a book with his recipes. Here he shares his point of view. He believes, among others, that the modern diner is not just looking for a meal but rather an experience. He says that the question diners are asking, apart from how much they will spend, is what kind of story they want to be told rather than what they want to eat.
Mina Holland, author of The World on a Plate answers questions about inspiration and favourite foods.
Facebook’s restaurant pages will now start to feature reviews from critics. The aim behind the move is to make it more useful for users and to compete with the likes of Yelp, Trip Advisor and Google.
Read about David Hertz who has founded Gastomotiva in Brazil. It is a sociogastronomic organisation which teaches favela residents to cook and then to train others. It also boosts their employment opportunities and spreads self-respect, along with skills through what he calls a community based exchange relationship.
Helene Darroze has been voted as World’s best female chef for 2015 recently. Here you will find her list of the world’s best restaurants.
And here is an article by Richard Vines on the 30 best restaurants in London right now, as chosen by top chefs
Although we have a pressure cooker at home, we use it less than we should, particularly because we do not always know how best to use it. So this article is very helpful.
Alder Yarrow of Vinography has a brilliant story about the champagne producer Anselme Selosse. Sit down and take a trip to Champagne.
Read a great story about Roberto Anselmi and his quest to make world class Soave Classico white wines in this article in Wine Searcher.
Here is also an interesting interview with Eleonora Marconi from Italy’s Castello di Nipozzano winery.
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