You are one of those chefs who make people talk about you, not only for the high quality of your dishes, but also for the courage to dare and to dare right on the most typical Ligurian tradition. So it is that among sea and land dishes, among excellent vegetables from the plain of Alberga expertly cooked in every way, as Ligurian culinary culture demands, the sauce of "prescinseua" is married with distant and daring aromas and ingredients. How do your ideas come about, your combinations that are so risky and yet so clean and immediate and so much praised?
Ideas for pairings and dishes are born many times from the market when I go shopping at the vegetable store or in some market, then in the kitchen we study textures and cooking, the combinations sometimes come first thinking about them already in my mouth. Always keeping in mind that my cooking style is based on the maximum three ingredients per recipe.
You've been a Michelin star since 2003 and you can't count the high scores in all the major food and wine guides. How many years did it take to get to this point? What or who supported you to never give up in a professional career that we all know is fraught with pitfalls, pitfalls and dangers?
I believe that the path to get to certain levels starts in conjunction with the beginning of the profession, from school and the first seasons, they are important to understand what kind of cooking you want to do, then from all the experiences you have to benefit from them, the problem then is to maintain certain levels both from the mental point of view and from the motivation point of view, those must always be high in all periods of work.
Your Arco Antico restaurant in Savona, which I believe has been in existence since the late 1990s, how has it evolved over the years to resist trends and not lose its identity ? What is the characteristic of Arco Antico that you are most proud of?
That's exactly it, not going after fads but always keeping your own line of thinking and above all always maintaining high quality and seriousness, this I think is our greatest asset. An important factor for this is the family to whom I owe everything, and especially now that I have two beautiful twin girls who give you some peace of mind outside of work.
What are the fragrances and ingredients that you are mainly experimenting with these days ? What are you experimenting with right now ? (if it's not a secret of course)
In this period I am working a lot on desserts, a little flaw of ours, on the savory instead working on seasonality is always a continuous experimentation, let's say I have developed a couple of sweet and sour sauces not bad.
From your privileged observatory as a professional operating in a city and at the same time in an area with a high concentration of tourists, what is your opinion on the clientele? Is the Italian always the best connoisseur, the deep connoisseur of dishes and wines, or is this now just a cliché and in reality other types of customers are the most demanding and competent?
There is no better or worse customer, you always have to try to understand the customer and please him.
Can you briefly summarize your experience with ALMA?
A collaboration that started in 2008, I really enjoy teaching and doing it in such a professional and organized school is a pleasure, it also helps me a lot from a professional point of view, you are always in contact with colleagues and you exchange opinions and ideas. In my classes I show the products of our land by making dishes of my own that are on the menu and two traditional dishes that are cappon magro and pesto in its original version in the mortar.
When you get to your level of professionalism and recognition, are you able to keep new goals and dreams alive? Is there anything you haven't done or achieved yet that you put in your next projects?
There is always something to do, woe if it were the other way around, surely there is the plan to change location to an environment more in keeping with the level of the kitchen but I won't tell you anything about that for superstition........
Today being a chef seems to have become a "glamorous" career, almost a reality TV career on par with the actor or singer. In your opinion, is this way of approaching the profession debasing to you serious professionals, who have struggled so hard to gain the recognition you deserve, or do you think that a young culinary enthusiast who "grows up" wanting to be a chef also does well to take advantage of these kinds of opportunities that offer immediate visibility?
I don't think it's the right approach, cooking and cooking is certainly not going on television to do reality shows or competitions, experience is gained in kitchens alongside more or less famous and good chefs and starting to learn from the basics that are everything in the kitchen, from there you can then refine your cooking style.
Is there anything I haven't asked you that you would like to communicate to Barnews readers?
I would say no you've done well............
If any professionals who follow this blog would like to contact you, can you give us a reference site, blog, or social network?
My site is www.ristorantearcoantico.it mail is info@ristorantearcoantico.it and on facebook Costa Flavio
Thank you
Interview by Monica Palla
