Massimo Bottura, the acclaimed Italian chef is bringing 12 promising international chefs and 12 chefs from his region, Emilia-Romagna to Al Meni for a food festival he created a few years ago. The event takes place on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June. Bottura will be directing the 24 chefs who will create magic under the Circo 8½ a giant coloured circus tent, set between the sea and the Grand Hotel that evokes a great master of world cinema: Federico Fellini. They will be the protagonists of 'Al Mèni' (meaning "hands" in Romagna dialect),. During these two days, the chefs will be taking turns working together in pairs in the large open kitchen to create unique dishes at street food prices. Nearby, an open-air market will be organised on the seafront promenade, offering gourmet and handmade products, meetings with authors and experts, workshops, itineraries with a personal shopper to discover quality products, and areas dedicated to designer street food and ice-cream. To top off … [Read more...]
Massimo Bottura gives lesson in creativity: The future is about culture
How many times have we heard about the importance of quality of ingredients in cooking? For Massimo Bottura, the opposite holds true. "Cooking is not just about the quality of ingredients but also about the quality of the ideas." That should not come as a surprise to those who know about this Italian chef. He is known to find inspiration everywhere including in particular from the 'cucina povera'. He then takes his creations to a level worthy of the second best restaurant in the world. Many would nowadays throw away the crust of a Parmiggiano Reggiano even if it is used to impart flavour to soups. He has found a way to use it to replace pasta in his compression of pasta and beans (Pasta e Fagioli). Bottura does not need any introduction. Chef of Osteria Francescana, the Modenese restaurant that is the second best restaurant in the world, he can be a man of many contradictions. He is known to make things look very simple but that simplicity comes mainly with the benefit of … [Read more...]