40 | CHEF FOCUS
The team come from all over Italy, so we share regional styles of cooking with each other.
Marco Crugnola, Head Chef at Da Vinci At just 25, Marco Crugnola, Head Chef at Aberdeen’s Da Vinci, is gaining an enviable reputation for combining the flavours of Italy with the best of Scottish produce. ‘Family is big in Italy. Every Sunday afternoon, everyone would gather at my grandparents’ home. I’d watch them cooking. I was filled with curiosity and eventually allowed to help. They really triggered my passion for cooking. ‘My style owes a lot to traditional Italian cooking. The quality and freshness of ingredients is really important and I like to bring a modern, personal, touch to my dishes. As well as my chef’s training,
I trained as a pastry chef, so I love our Tiramisù - it’s absolutely amazing! Currently, my favourite dish on the Specials menu is Tagliolini all’Astice. The lobster comes from Johnshaven and the dish gets lots of compliments. Da Vinci gives me the opportunity to be creative, yet authentic. ‘I’ve worked in hotels and restaurants in both Italy and the UK, but Da Vinci feels like home. The team come from all over Italy, so we share regional styles of cooking and with each other. I hope our customers feel transported to Italy while trying our dishes, drinking Italian wines and chatting with our staff.’
