Delicious No 22 by Union Print

issue 22

akimalta.com

Degustating Christmas

Photo Brian Grech

AKI is a unique dining experience in the heart of Valletta, serving up exciting contemporary creations from our restaurant and upper bar. Taste our signature Japanese-inspired dishes prepared with care and with flavours to satisfy modern palates. Enjoy a drink at our upper bar, where the music and sophisticated décor offer the perfect setting to unwind and kick off the evening while sipping on one of the signature cocktails. Our new cocktail menu draws its inspiration from classical Japanese art-forms. Our talented mixologists, in collaboration with local artist Kris Micallef have crafted a selection of signature cocktails where, much like Japanese culture, each and every element is carefully selected with harmony and balance in mind. The photographs represent a visual link between the cocktail and its muse, be it the ingredients of the cocktail, or the story behind its creation.

Photo Brian Grech

Photo Daryl Cauchi

This was another truly eventful year for the global food industry worth to be remembered or better, forgotten. Freak weather, protests, coups, elections and the COVID-19 pandemic. Events which have somehow directly or indirectly, affected the food industry. Added to this, the sector is facing a major human resource crisis which is inevitably impinging on the quality as well as the sustainability of many outlets. It’s a miracle some survived such a challenging year. It’s a pity many did not survive the challenge of time. Certainly, this was a year that has highlighted how fragile our food industry really is. It has raised further awareness on the dire need to act so as to save such an important industry for the local and global economy. What can surely be told is that the food sector is alive, fighting tooth and nail for a quick recovery. I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let’s hope it’s a good one, without any fear!

Disclaimer: Particular attention has been given to ensure that all the content of this magazine is correct and up to date as on date of issue. The views expressed in the articles, interviews and photogrphs are those of the authors and are not neccessarily endorsed by the publisher. While every care has been taking during production, the publisher does not accept any liability for errors that may have occurred. Copyright© 2021.

Redefining Turkish Cuisine

FATIH TUTAK

Born in Istanbul in 1985, Chef Fatih Tutak has spent the best part of his career to date outside Turkey, working in some of the most globally renowned restaurants. He attributes his career choice to the feeling of pleasure and joy that his mother’s delicious cooking brought to the family table. This in turn led him straight to culinary college in Mengen - a town in Bolu Province on the main road between Istanbul and the capital, Ankara - and famous throughout Turkey for training the finest chefs in the country.

After working his apprenticeship in some of the country’s best hotels and restaurants, including the Ritz-Carlton Cam in Istanbul under Paul Pairet and his avant-garde approach to cuisine, his focus turned east. Until that point, for all he had learned and honed as a young chef, Fatih began to view gastronomy through a global lense. Knowing very little about the great cuisines of SE Asia, China and Japan, he left his native Turkey and headed east. He hoped that by immersing himself in other cultures outside his professional comfort zone, he could refine his own definition and understanding of gastronomy, while further developing his skill as a chef. A culinary odyssey followed through the kitchens of China’s great port cities of Qingdao and Beijing and the island city-state of Singapore. During this time, his drive and evident talent earned him first a four-month stagiaire in Tokyo under Seiji Yamamoto at 3 Michelin starred Nihonryori Ryugin and then to Copenhagen at 2 Michelin starred Noma under Rene Redzepi, before returning east again to Hong Kong. By now, as he built on the techniques and skills he so desired as a chef, he began to understand the immense part culture and history had to play in gastronomy. A move to Thailand was next in 2015, opening The Dining Room of The House of Sathorn in Bangkok as Head Chef. In just two years he had become Director of Culinary Operations and led his talented team to international accreditation, both in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (No.36 in 2017) and a Michelin plate in the Thailand Guide 2018-19. It was here that circumstance would play a pivotal role in his career. During the development of a private dinner for an expat Turkish guest, Fatih created a dish he called ‘From my Mom’, which was his take on the Turkish dumpling, manti. The guest’s emotional response to that dish, made him realise just how important it had now become for him to further explore the food from his home country and look at it with a fresh perspective. He developed an entire menu ‘Innovative Turkish Cuisine’ and introduced it to The Dining Room. In contemplating this new perspective, it became clear to Fatih that to really understand Turkish food, both for him and as a concept, he had to become close to it again and surround himself with the produce from its land. He returned home in February 2019. “I needed to smell, touch and feel the real Turkey; to be part of the people again - the only way to feed my mind and heart was to go back”. Turkey is a land uniquely placed. Sitting astride two great continents, Europe and Asia, it boasts an ancient history from antiquity and the spice routes, to a multiplicity of culture from its different communities. This coupled with the diversity of its land and native produce, meant Fatih was able to pull on many inspirations. With the depth of experience he had now gained, he was able to thread together all the strands that make up Turkish food culture and envision a new culinary landscape.

He started looking to source traditional ingredients that have fallen out of favour, even with locals for example: he has dry-aged meat from a native duck that took him back to Ottoman history for inspiration. He also began to reimagine entire dishes, such as beef kavurma, using an open fire and oven to create a depth of flavour through longer cooking times, rather than traditional frying. He added playful touches to classic flavour combinations, such as lamb, freekeh and yoghurt. Working closely with farmers, fishermen and spice dealers, Fatih started to weave a story through the food - “A dish must touch the heart,” he explains, “so I had to respect that and leave alone those everyone had eaten since childhood. That meant starting from scratch - to focus in on the ingredients themselves using the techniques we have now, while referencing the old ones and creating something unique.” He opened TURK Fatih Tutak in December 2019. The opening of his restaurant is not only a return to his home city, but also an exploration into the history and understanding of his own cultural heritage, memories and the nostalgic journey into why he became a chef in the first place. Fatih’s cooking is not to reproduce what has been done before, but to research, explore and be inventive. He expresses the same limitless passion within the boundaries of respect, creating refined reinterpretations of traditional flavours and building a new language in Turkish cuisine. 11

What is your speciality as a chef? New Turkish Cuisine. My goal is to progress Turkish cuisine and explore areas that I have never been to before.

What do you think is going to be the next big thing in the food world? Vegan and vegetarian cuisine will be the next big thing by necessity. I think people will try to be healthier and choose what they eat more carefully. I love cooking with vegetables; they are fun to play around with when discovering their true character. I hope to see Turkish food being viewed in a new light as a trend too. Turkey will show the world that their incredible products, ingredients, and culture are more than just what they think they know.

How do you balance between creativity, passion for food and cooking, and running a restaurant? And which part of running a restaurant is most challenging for you? If you don’t have a passion for cooking, you cannot be creative; if you don’t have this tool, you cannot run a restaurant. These go hand in hand. I have many challenges in the restaurant, but the biggest challenge is people. Everyone is so different. We have to create a friendly working environment for everyone. We want everyone to have the same quality of life at work and passion too. My team understands we are working towards one goal together. I never worry because I trust them. I like to think I’m a good teacher.

What sets good chefs apart from great chefs? A good chef is a master and someone who leads his team and runs the business, doing his job daily. A great chef is a person who carries a lot of responsibility for others, for his employees, their future and the future of gastronomy. They have to not only be a chef but a mentor and gamechanger.

What is your philosophy on food and dining? I always cook with massive respect for the ingredients. My approach is very product-based, using local ingredients to inspire me. My kitchen staff must understand this. We need to research our ingredients to use them at their optimal point. I call it “Cooking with Time”, meaning that timing is everything - so should we be using that product now or next season? Do we cook it, pickle it, smoke it, age it? Time dictates how we approach the all-important ingredient. All my global experiences have impacted my current style. I respect the traditions and culture of Turkey and feel that they inspire me and teach me. However, I must also use these to drive my country’s cuisine forward! As a nation, we can’t stand still. Our flavours are clear, refined, yet intense. We try to show our deep culture and heritage at TURK.

What advice do you have for young chefs who are just getting started? Based on my life experience, ‘don’t give up’. As a chef, I’ve always been born from my breaking point. It’s a difficult life, and you must have a target goal to achieve, and you should always dream big.

TURK FATIH TUTAK TURK is a homecoming for Chef Fatih Tutak - looking towards the future by deeply respecting the past. It is a restaurant that embodies the journey of its talented chef and subsequently one of Turkey itself. Through his in-depth research of historical and traditional cooking techniques, Fatih showcases a clear understanding of Turkey’s finest produce, creating dishes with playful imagination. The menu is À La Carte, divided into four sections and although it changes daily, there are key dishes and ingredients that feature. The tarhana for example - a soup traditionally made from fermented grains and dairy, but here reinvented using wild native mushrooms found 40 km from the restaurant. TURK brings together east and west, the past and the possibility of the future and reflects the exciting duality that is Turkey and its culinary culture. The interior of TURK is one of elegant warmth: a space to feel relaxed whilst surrounded by the finest in contemporary design – from bespoke ceramics and furniture, to evocative artwork. Designed with simplicity and clean lines throughout, guests are immersed by the same craftsmanship that defines the very heart of Turkish culture. Its large open kitchen and fire offer an ambiance of immediate escapism from the city outside, immersing guests in the atmosphere of cooking; from up-close-to-the-action, at-counter dining, to the calmer setting of the main room.

From the point of reservation, guests are treated to true Turkish hospitality, of being invited into one’s home.

THE ITALIAN CONNECTION

Interview with

Nicola Fanaetti

Growing up in Northern Italy, in a town called Malonno in the Lombardy region. From the age of 14 Nicola spent his summers working in restaurant kitchens and at the age of 18 was working at two Michelin starred restaurant Miramonti l’Altro in northern Italy. In 2011 he was researching different approaches to food and decided that the New Nordic approach was one that fit his overall ethos; he moved to Copenhagen and worked at Era Ora, Noma and Quadri before opening Brace. 21

A pioneer of Nordic-Italian cuisine, Nicola Fanetti’s dishes take a minimalistic approach in celebrating bold flavours. Menus change eight times a year, per each micro season to ensure produce is used at its absolute best. Nicola blends his Italian roots seamlessly with Nordic sensibilities and ingredients. Nicola places a strong importance on sustainability, ensuring each and every part of an ingredient is utilised where possible and is constantly striving to improve in reducing the waste and mileage of every dish. Uniforms are made from recycled tablecloths, staff are given handbooks on sustainability at the restaurant and at home. This approach was rewarded in 2021, when Brace was awarded a Green Star by the Michelin Guide for their work at the forefront of the industry when it comes to sustainable practices. The idea of continuing to push boundaries and collaborative inspiration is what drives Nicola. The pursuit of creating food and a business that is kind to the environment and reflective of the people involved is at the heart of his cooking.

What is the biggest challenge facing your restaurant now? It was a historical period in which, as a chef and an entrepreneur, I asked myself many questions about my business and the future of my restaurant. After more than a year marked by COVID-19, it was not easy to understand how we could move forward. Above all, how could we make it back to where we once were? The biggest challenge I have ever faced was to relaunch the restaurant again. To relaunch and reopen as a commercial activity and a restaurant that welcomes its guests after a long absence. We would all have to work as a team, becoming a family. This was one of the most significant challenges. A struggling economy can be fixed, but I had to unify my team, rebuilding that solid and loyal brigade Brace is known for, which we did together. 23

Is there anything that you would do over again if you had the chance? When I think about my private life, I don’t think I would change anything from my past. I think back to the birth of my daughter, and it is something that completes me and amuses me at the same time. Time spent with her brings me back down to earth and positions me in a healthy reality. She is my driving force. From a business perspective, I think I would practically do everything over again. There were ups-anddowns, as in any business, but everything I experienced has led me to where I am today. And there were many lessons learnt along the way. Maybe I would be more selfaware. If I could go back in time, then I think that I would not take things so seriously. To the Nicola of 10 years ago, I would say: have belief in yourself, you are on the right path, and do not be afraid of making the big decisions.

Tell us about your experience at culinary school and the credentials your earned through your culinary studies. All my studies have been oriented to my current profession. I first attended a cooking school when I was a teenager, and then I deepened my studies by practising a higher education course at ALMA in Colorno (Parma). Here, I gained my knowledge of the history of the Italian gastronomic culture, concerning food, haute patisserie, and oenology. Each of these theoretical studies was then transformed into a practical approach, thanks to the guidance of great chefs. I was a good student and eager to learn, educating myself in the culture and traditions of Italian gastronomy. I began to understand the theoretical study of ingredients, techniques and origins of a culinary tradition and how they are the basis of every thought and creation.

What do you do to stay current on new trends? Describe two or three of the most interesting industry trends.

To keep up to date, I buy and read many sector books. I like to use the old method of reading recipes by leafing through pages and looking at the images. At the same time, we live in an age where you have the opportunity to enter the life and restaurants of others, without getting on a flight and going to the other side of the world. Unfortunately, I have little time to travel. However, social media allows me to keep up to date on new trends and gastronomic evolutions. Currently, I have noticed that luxurious ingredients such as truffles and caviar are taking up more and more space in kitchens outside of France and Italy. Another orientation of the moment is towards the vegetable. More and more attention is being paid to forms of nutrition in which fruits and vegetables manage to be the protagonist of a Tasting Menu, almost pulling the attention away from meat and fish. Furthermore, this new approach reflects sustainability and shows respect for the environment. It is no longer a question of just cooking but sending a message.

How do you test the quality of your ingredients?

Before a menu change, I identify new small local suppliers. I always try to take the time to visit the farms in the area. It is vital to meet the producers and understand the earth and sea and where the produce comes from. I do the shopping myself every day, and our suppliers also visit the restaurant so that my team and I can meet them and study the ingredients up-close. This isn’t about control or trust, but human relationships and building a bond between farm and table. It is also important that my team see and feel a product, learning to distinguish the difference between what is good and bad and how to properly handle and respect an ingredient. 26

What is your favourite cuisine? Do you experiment with cooking other types of cuisine?

Absolutely. I am open to any form of cuisine, not just Italian and Danish but anything international. I am fascinated by everything I do not know and everything that does not belong to my own origins and history. For example, I am passionate about Mexican cuisine and Chinese bao buns right now. Both cuisines have a long and varied history with strong tastes, and they remind me a lot of Italian dishes. I’m still learning and enjoy preparing them during my days off.

What is your favourite thing about being a chef?

What I appreciate most about this work is the continuous evolution necessary to grow. We tend to study and deepen themes and techniques with a natural propensity that almost does not exist in other professions. We can then solve problems and inconveniences, especially when those problems occur in a moment of high pressure, such as during service. In this era, I also believe that being a chef means being the spokesperson for strong messages. Today, a chef is a messenger for change, using their platform to better the planet, and we can start with food.

Unlike many other chefs, you started cooking out of necessity and not out of passion. Can you elaborate?

My parents were always busy at work, which meant never having time to cook and enjoy lunch or dinner together around the table. I grew up with my grandparents, who, unlike my parents, taught me how to collect vegetables and herbs from their farm and how to cook them afterwards. It all started out of necessity. I tried to replicate the dishes I ate with my grandparents and the ones I enjoyed the best. I brought them to the table and made sure that everyone ate a hot meal without worrying about work. It was a healthy distraction that made me proud, and I became obsessed with farming, growing, harvesting and how best to apply those ingredients. I then decided to commit and pursue my passion for cooking.

How were Chef Redzepi and Chef Puglisi an inspiration to you?

Both chefs allowed me to discover a new gastronomic culture not known to me before. I met them through a magazine that talked about the new Nordic cuisine and everything deriving from it. I was fascinated by a new world, one close to the one I was from, growing up in the wood of Northern Italy. Working at Noma, I resumed a series of habits I had learned from my grandparents, and therefore I had the urge to go back to my origins. On the other hand, Puglisi strongly inspired me to approach vegetables differently, treat them with great respect, and use them as the central ingredient to a dish. A vegetable does not have to play second-string to a piece of meat or fish, and today, vegetables are an integral part of my menus. 28

What’s your advice for aspiring chefs? The advice I always give to my team is to never overdo the experience. I am of the idea that it is necessary to learn and work hard, but at the same time, I believe that having many experiences just to fill a curriculum can contaminate the essence and attitude of a person too much. Time must be invested in the right way. This is especially important when you are talking about cooking and service. In fact, the more experiences you accumulate over time, the more you want to become a replicator of what others have done, but you can tweak lessons along the way so that it is correct and works for you.

Chef Mauro Colagreco at The Maybourne Riviera

immersion

A marine

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, 2021 – Chef Mauro Colagreco is at the helm of two dedicated restaurants within The Maybourne Riviera, joining London’s iconic Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley as part of the Maybourne Hotel Group. The restaurants hold pole positions within the strikingly modernist hotel, built on a rocky peninsula high above the town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

The flagship restaurant Ceto focuses on the sea and is located on the hotel’s top floor with dramatic panoramic views over the Mediterranean. It is a true parallel between the sky and sea and reflects Mauro’s ambition and passion. However, it is more than just a restaurant, operating as a ‘marine culinary workshop’ created to deepen knowledge of the region’s aquatic species and researching sustainable ecological solutions. Dishes play with texture, flavour and cooking processes, with the grill the centrepiece of the restaurant’s open kitchen. The menu represents the whole of the Mediterranean according to the seasons, using not only fish and shellfish but will include ingredients such as seaweed, sea herbs, samphire, sea fennel and snails. Sample dishes include Red Tuna - matured belly with Kombu seaweed, XO sauce; Red Scorpionfish – grilled cèpes, roasted Cévennes onion sauce and Monkfish – kale on the embers, bread crust sauce. A selection of vegetarian and pasture-fed meat dishes are also offered, such as tiger veal reared by the sea in Corsica. The restaurant also houses a maturation chamber for research and development, allowing the team to deepen its methods of preserving fish and prolonging its maturation by allowing all the flavour and texture to develop in the meat. Each species is studied individually, and the entire fish used whenever possible (skin, fins, bones and eyes). Mauro aims to bring this approach and his expertise to help change perspectives on fishing. He desires to shake up traditional codes: the distance and depth of fishing, seasonality, the use of the maturation chamber, anti-waste and the collaboration with renowned scientists. The décor of Ceto restaurant has been created by architect-designer Marcelo Joulia, with tableware specially sourced and pieces created exclusively by local artists and artisan producers. In addition, Mauro also oversees the venue on the ground floor of the hotel. The Riviera Restaurant, opened on the 22nd of September, offers regional gastronomy in its simplest form. Available for lunch, dinner, snacks or coffees and teas throughout the day, menus naturally retrace the region’s local gastronomic history: from Genoa to Saint Tropez, between mountain and sea. His creations highlight regional specialities with the greatest respect for the product, season and producer. From Niçoise salad, Spaghetti alla Genovese, grilled fish, sun-

soaked vegetables in olive oil, and the famous sweet-tart, Tropézienne, dishes are colourful and cooked simply to reflect the area’s rich variety. Already established on the Côte D’Azur at his three Michelin starred Mirazur in Menton, Mauro is a cook unrestrained by borders and one who sets his own culinary rules. This ambitious project is a further opportunity for the globally acclaimed chef to showcase his culinary vision and continue to place the region at the forefront of the international gastronomic scene. At The Maybourne Riviera, he mixed this with one of his favourite playgrounds, the sea and hopefully, through careful participation, will help safeguard the diversity of its marine heritage. “I am extremely proud to be a player in this unique project in The Maybourne Riviera and with a hotel group recognised around the world for its quality and excellence. It is a wonderful setting for guests to enjoy all that is so exceptional about this area of the Mediterranean.”

About Mauro Colagreco From his native Argentina to the French Riviera, Mauro’s passion has never waned. It is a journey strewn with travel, discovery, ambition, commitment and focus that has led him to the pinnacle of his craft. This bold vision reflects a cuisine that is instinctive and generous, transcending season and region. Driven by the belief in hyper-local and hyper-seasonality, he operates a close-circuit supply chain, harnessing the ingredients around him and forming indispensable relationships with his producers. Through the understanding he has honed with nature, he has become even more committed to environmental sustainability. A chef without borders, he strives for excellence while championing each ingredient in its simplest form. Based in Menton with his family since 2006, Mauro has created and developed Mirazur to be much more than a restaurant. A Mediterranean estate, it is a lifestyle and driving force that puts nature at its very core and one that is continuing to evolve. Forging his own path and with his wife Julia at his side, they have now established Mirazur as part of the garden and not the garden part of Mirazur. In 2019, Mirazur was awarded the ultimate 3 Michelin stars and the No.1 spot in the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. This cemented the restaurant as not only one of the most outstanding dining destinations globally but also Mauro, one of its most respected and celebrated chefs. Most recently, Mirazur was honoured with the “Best of the Best” Award, joining the ranks of former No.1 winners at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021.

About The Maybourne Riviera

Events at the Maybourne Riviera Mauro Colagreco will also be in charge of what will undoubtedly come to be known as the most stunning event space in the region, with the utmost breathtaking views. Tailor-made and with each request taken to its ultimate conclusion, events will equal destination in excellence. Each gastronomic request will be meticulously fulfilled by Mauro, from Mediterranean cuisine to the great French classics; Argentinian Asado, vegetarian and vegan; through to kosher and halal.

The Maybourne Riviera is built on a rocky peninsula high above the picturesque French town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, with views of Italy to the east and Monte Carlo to the west. Set to become the new hospitality jewel of the Riviera, with ancient gardens and state of the art swimming pools and spa, the hotel will feature sixty nine rooms and suites, all with unrivalled sea views from their private terraces. The Maybourne Riviera will be an outstanding gastronomic destination with a host of restaurants under globally renowned chefs Mauro Colagreco and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Bringing the legendary service and spirit of hospitality that have made Maybourne’s London hotels so successful and much loved, The Maybourne Riviera is destined to become one of the great hotels of the world.

Mauro will orchestrate each culinary event with his creative precision and technical mastery.

FIRE, FLAME AND FINE FOOD AT THE NEW SHOREDITCH HOUSE South Africa, Cape Town, 9 December 2021; The remarkable rejuvenation of The Winchester Hotel in Cape Town has brought contemporary décor and coastal chic to one of Cape Town’s most famous seafront destinations. And keeping in step with the eyecatching evolution of this much-loved locale, the hotel’s restaurant and bar have been beautifully reinvented. Now known as Shoreditch House, the hotel’s flagship restaurant promises contemporary dining across a menu of shareable small plates and creative main courses. At the adjoining Harvey’s Bar – paying tribute to the rich family legacy of this iconic property – sundowners, classic cocktails and fine wine are the hallmarks. Shoreditch House draws its inspiration, and moniker, from the vibrant district in London that has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in recent years. “It’s a perfect mirror of what we’re creating here at The Winchester Hotel. We want to rejuvenate an absolutely iconic destination in Cape Town, and tap into the fantastic new energy that’s running through the property,” explains seasoned restaurateur Rory Jossel, who has taken over the operation of both Shoreditch House and Harvey’s Bar.

“At Shoreditch House we’re not restricting ourselves to a specific style of cuisine,” adds Jossel. “Instead we’re choosing to focus on how each dish is prepared, celebrating South Africans’ affinity for flame, fire and smoke.” Behind the scenes, the refitted kitchen now includes a custom-built charcoal grill. With variable grids and sufficient space to accommodate a variety of cooking temperatures, the inventive setup has inspired no end of creativity from Head Chef Tim Pick. Tomatoes are seared and caramelised for the vibrant salad of seasonal tomatoes, feta and red onion. The ‘Dirty Rib-eye’ is sealed in searing hot coals, while the oven-pit cauliflower with chimichurri will please vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. The menu at Shoreditch House has been imagined around all-day dining, whether you’re cruising in from the ‘Prom’ for a few small plates, or dressed to the nine’s for a night out. Expect an inventive selection of creative small plates, tempting main courses and generous side dishes. If there’s a golden thread binding the menu together it’s a subtle celebration of New World influences, with Asian and Mexican flavours that perfectly balance out the elements of fire and smoke in each dish.

Small plates run from seared tuna tacos topped with Mexican mole and fresh salsa, to a superb springbok tartare tossed in a fragrant Asian dressing and showered with shards of crispy leeks. For light summer plates, you’ll be hard-pressed to beat the line fish ceviche swimming in fragrant leche de tigre and topped with red onion and coriander. Calamari, always a crowd-pleaser, here comes enlivened with fried ginger and chilli. Main courses are meaty in focus, including a beef short rib slow-cooked to succulent perfection and glazed with teriyaki, and a charred line fish served with fresh herbs, fennel butter and yuzu salt. Vegetarians are well taken care of, however, with a delicious choice of risotto plates. “There are also a lot of wonderful vegetarian side dishes, which are quite generous, and in combining a selection of those plates vegetarian diners enjoy a fantastic choice of flavours,” says Jossel. “But as we settle into the season, and as the menu expands, we’ll be adding additional dishes, including more vegetarian main course options.”

Brunch is coming back! In step with the subtle rejuvenation of the hotel and dining experience Jossel also plans to revive and reinvent the ever-popular Sunday jazz brunches that once brought locals flocking from across Cape Town. While final plans are still under wraps, look forward to a generous Harvest Table offering prime cuts roasted on the charcoal grill, alongside seasonal salads, fresh breads and decadent desserts.

A contemporary space for modern dining Shoreditch House can accommodate up to 80 diners, with tables spaced throughout the venue to offer a choice of dining styles. The bistro-style seating on the spacious street-side terrace is ideal for soaking up the bustle of the Sea Point promenade, or admiring the sunset over a selection of small plates and cocktails. Indoors the blonde wood furniture, deep-buttoned leather banquettes and copper trims create a more elegant space for a deep-dive into the culinary and vinous delights on offer. It’s an enigmatic blend of urban appeal and seaside chic. Shoreditch House also hosts residents and outside guests for breakfast, with a selection of upscale hot breakfast plates alongside a generous Harvest Table buffet. Breakfast is perhaps best enjoyed in the signature courtyard of The Winchester Hotel, where wrought-iron tables beneath wide black-andwhite striped umbrellas provide a charming al fresco option sheltered from the Cape’s notorious summer winds. “The courtyard is just such a magnificent space,” says Jossel, admiring the flush of colourful bougainvillea flowering in riotous contrast to the monochrome décor. “It’s definitely going to be a popular destination for afternoon drinks, and of course you can order from the Shoreditch House menu in the courtyard.”

Across the hotel lobby from Shoreditch House is Harvey’s Bar; the name a testament to the family that has owned The Winchester Hotel for decades. Alongside sleek Scandi-chic décor and striking wallpaper by design studio Lemon, a sensitive refurbishment has lightened and brightened the new Harvey’s Bar, with glass doors and walls allowing sea views to wash in. Behind the bar, the focus is on classic cocktails done to perfection, while Jossel’s handpicked wine list delves into some of the Cape’s leading boutique cellars, with an extensive selection available by the glass. “I am passionate about wine, and I really wanted to step away from the same old estates and producers to offer a wine list that’s really inventive, across a range of different and unsung regions of the Cape,” says Jossel. Complementing the inspired drinks selection is a compact menu of small plates and canapés – think oysters doused in piquant pico de gallo, and bowls of crispy teriyaki-glazed chicken wings – creating the perfect pre-dinner destination. “At both Shoreditch House and Harvey’s Bar our goal has been to create a menu and a dining experience that will draw diners in every week,” says Jossel. “To make it a place that’s welcoming to Capetonians and local visitors, as much as our in-house guests.” Judging by the crowds of hungry diners and sundowner seekers in the few short weeks since the re-opening, word is already out about the most exciting new destination on the Atlantic Seaboard this summer. 35

SingleThread

Katina Connaughton & Kyle Connaughton

From Provenance to Presentation All those who somehow came across Kyle Connaughton will tell you that despite being a triple-starred Michelin chef, he is warm, humble and very approachable. He loves horticulture, perceives cooking as an expression of caring for others and is endlessly intrigued by Japanese cuisine. For him, a life beyond ordinary means to never rest on your laurels. As the owner and chef of SingleThread Farm Restaurant and Inn in Sonoma County, California, Kyle is dedicated to nurturing the ingredients from provenance to presentation. On his own five-acre farm he incorporates vegetables harvested that day, expressing a moment in time and connecting guests to the here and now through cuisine.

Kyle Connaughton Kyle Connaughton is the Chef / Owner of SingleThread Farm-Restaurant-Inn in Healdsburg, California. Along with his wife Katina, they opened SingleThread in December 2016. The restaurant has been widely embraced, receiving four stars from the San Francisco Chronicle and a James Beard Foundation Restaurant Design Award, in 2017. In 2018, Nation’s Restaurant News named Kyle and Katina in its Power List of the most influential people in foodservice. SingleThread is the first and only three Michelin starred restaurant in Sonoma County and a recipient of the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants’ “Miele One to Watch” Award. In 2020, The Michelin Guide honored SingleThread with a Green Star, its first year of awarding restaurants in the United States recognizing efforts on gastronomic sustainability. In October 2021, two months shy of its fifth year, SingleThread was named #37 at the Worlds 50 Best Restaurant Awards; it is one of only three Bay Area restaurants to be honored. As one of the most prolific and multi-faceted chefs of his generation, Kyle launched his culinary career in high school by apprenticing at one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in Southern California. He went on to study classical and modern cuisine at The Southern California School of Culinary Arts and later cooked through various kitchens in Los Angeles including Spago Beverly Hills, Lucques, AOC, and the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel. He attended both the California Sushi Academy and Sushi Chef Institute, embarking on internships in several Japanese kitchens, both in Los Angeles and in Western Japan. In 2003, Kyle received an offer to work as a chef for Michel Bras at his eponymous three-star Michelin restaurant at its new second location in Hokkaido, Japan. During his tenure, he worked through a rotation of traditional Japanese kitchens in the disciplines of kaiseki cuisine, sushi, izakaya, and soba. In 2006, Kyle joined acclaimed Chef Heston Blumenthal as Head Chef of Research and Development of The Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen in Bray, England. That same year, Restaurant magazine named the Fat Duck “Best Restaurant in the World.” During his five years as Head Chef, Connaughton collaborated with food scientists, perfumers, designers and various experts to develop The Fat Duck’s multi-sensory cuisine, not only for the menu but also for books, articles, and television programs.

In 2009, Kyle worked with Heston Blumenthal and the Fat Duck Team to complete the James Beard and IACP Award-winning The Big Fat Duck Cookbook. He also later contributed to Nathan Myrhvold’s Modernist Cuisine series. Kyle is a consulting culinary educator for the Culinary Institute of America, where he co-developed the curriculum for the new Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Science. He is a co-founder of the culinary science development firm Pilot R+D.

Katina Connaughton A Farmer and Floral Designer at SingleThread FarmRestaurant-Inn. While living in both Japan and Europe, she studied culinary and farming techniques to bring back to her native California. Katina immersed herself in farming and garden work during her three-year residence in the agricultural epicenter of Hokkaido. She then worked as a Culinary Gardener and Chef for a private Victorian estate complete with green houses, vegetable gardens, and heirloom orchards while living with her family in the UK. During this time, she developed an intense connection between the garden and kitchen, health and wellness. Upon her return, Katina studied Environmental Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture at the Santa Rosa Junior College, where she later held the position of Greenhouse Manager. Katina most recently worked in the culinary gardens for seasonally driven restaurants such as Zazu Farm and Kitchen, in Sonoma County. Katina is dedicated to utilizing sustainable agricultural methods with an emphasis on restoring and enhancing Northern California’s native habitats. Katina’s gardens bring biodiversity to some of Sonoma County’s top vineyard areas and include a 5-acre parcel on the famed San Lorenzo Vineyards along the banks of the Russian River, as well as the culinary roof garden on premise. Her responsibilities at SingleThread include oversight of the fruit, vegetable and flower gardens, heirloom orchards; over one hundred olive trees, bee hives, and heritage breed chickens. In October 2020, The Michelin Guide honored SingleThread with a Green Star, its first year of awarding restaurants in the United States for their efforts on sustainability. 39

What are the three best tips you can give to an aspiring young chef?

Take the time to really learn your basic skills: knife techniques, organization, consistency, and technique. Everything else will come in time; don’t get ahead of yourself. Most importantly find the absolute best people to work for, chefs you really believe in and can be mentored by. Don’t necessarily look just for the highest position or most money, find the people and environment that you can best learn and grow in and then be teachable.

“Life is too short to be in a comfort zone, you have to challenge yourself.” How does this apply to your life and career?

We’ve always been pushing ourselves throughout our entire careers. From living in Japan and Europe and working in different types of restaurants with different cuisines to learn new skills and philosophies. We always need to be challenging ourselves in big and small ways each day. Becoming a great chef is about focusing on small, incremental changes each and every day. We don’t just wake up one day and become one.

What triggered your love for Japanese culture?

When I was a kid my dad was spending quite a bit of time there for work. I was really fascinated by everything he was bringing home with him. He took me to a sushi restaurant when I was 9 years old and while I was sitting at the counter, I knew right then that whatever that the chef was doing I wanted to be a part of it. I grew up next to a really large Japanese community in Los Angeles and going to Japan and Japanese restaurants became a big part of my family as I got more and more interested in both the food and culture. When we were in our 20s Katina and I would save up money to take trips there together to learn and experience, and eventually we moved there together.

Can you describe your work relationship with Azuma Makoto?

Makoto-san and I have collaborated together on two different installations in Germany for Miele. He is such an incredible artist and we have done a few different unique pieces together integrating his floral pieces with my food. He has such an incredibly unique perspective on floral design and artistry.

Cooking is an art: What makes a chef an artist, craftsman and visionary?

Cooking is such a fun intersection between artistry and craftsmanship, but it is most importantly a humble act of taking care of people. Genuine hospitality is really the heart of good cooking. You have to care deeply about people to cook good food. I love the art and science of cooking. I also love homing my craft and skills. But most importantly I love taking care of people and making them happy. I try to instil in my chefs that what we do as chefs is that we transfer energy from one living thing to another. This is really important to understanding what we do on the most fundamental level.

Apart from running SingleThread Restaurant, you are also a professor emeritus at The Culinary Institute of America. How do you manage to juggle both jobs?

I am not actively a Professor at the CIA but still hold the title Professor Emeritus. I was very fortunate to teach at CIA and design curriculum and programs for them and was granted the ability to hold that title for life as a Professor Emeritus. I love teaching and education, and holding that position means I can come back to it if I ever want to. I definitely aspire to come back to the classroom after retiring from the restaurant kitchen.

“What inspired you to write ‘The Big Fat Duck Cookbook’?

“The Big Fat Duck Cookbook” was written by my then boss, Heston Blumenthal. I was the Head Chef of Research and Development at the Fat Duck during those years writing the book and was fortunate enough to be able to work on the recipes and technical aspects of that book. It’s an amazing piece of work and I’m really proud to have been a part of it.

What is the most prestigious award you have earned in your career?

Awards are an amazing recognition of the hard work of the team, but they aren’t what drive Katina and I. That being said, we are always humbled to be recognized for what is our life’s work here at SingleThread. Receiving three stars from Michelin was one of the proudest moments of our life. It’s an accolade that you earn and have to keep earning year after year. That type of pressure is good, it means we always have to be progressing and working to keep every standard high. 41

What’s next?

We are excited to be opening our new, very casual, all vegan restaurant and café called Little Saint in early 2022 one block away from SingleThread.

The Past On Your By Warren Bugeja, Executive Communications Heritage Malta

The year is 1799. Malta has been plunged into a civil war. The French have retreated within the walls of Valletta and the Three Cities. Meanwhile, the British blockade has succeeded in cutting off all supplies to the beleaguered garrison. The situation is dire, yet a confident General Vaubois is “resolved to defend this fortress to the very end.” Whilst the local populace is reduced to eating rats and whatever other protein source they can get their hands on, under cover of darkness, French soldiers organise a sortie to purloin a donkey from a nearby farm which they then sell at the market in Bormla. The unfortunate donkey ends up in a nourishing stew. Sautéed in olive oil, onions, garlic, and slowcooked with coriander and wine to become ‘Stuffat tal-ħmar’, the stew is served with a coarse but tasty flatbread. Reserves of grain in the granaries have been steadily dwindling, and thus the bread has been kneaded from a number of cereals, including oats, spelt, flax seeds, and wheat bran.

Taking their cue from the tumultuous events surrounding the genesis of a nation, Heritage Malta’s ‘Taste History’ initiative transports you back in time to sample what General Vaubois might have eaten in 1799, just months before his capitulation to the British in 1800. There might be a blockade on, but the French need to keep their spirits up, and with a superlative culinary heritage, they naturally begin with their bellies.

The ‘blockade menu’ is just one of the many bespoke meals inspired by artefacts and historical documents that Taste History recreates for private events. Catering for small intimate celebrations to corporate gatherings of up to 80 guests, the Taste History team of curators and chefs organise exclusive, tailor-made meals and banquets to suit every occasion. Prospective guests may select from a catalogue of historical meals, seasonal ingredients, and an extensive portfolio of unique historical venues comprising palaces, forts, museums, and auberges to stage your special occasion in. A manuscript entitled ‘Lo Stato Politico di Malta’ (The Political State of Malta) lies open on pages 77 and 78 under a glass case in the dining hall of the Maritime Museum in Birgu, Malta. A list of ingredients and their inflated prices feature among the entries for 1799. The author Giorgio Mitrovich, a grandson of a Maltese corsair originally from Kotor, was one of the first Maltese to fight for the freedom of the press. The manuscript was first published by Mitrovich in London as an invective against the British who had just taken away the rights of the Maltese with the excuse of liberating them from the French. Events and ingredients recorded in the manuscript provide much of the material for the ‘Blockade Menu’. Guests are welcomed with an aperitif concocted from goat’s milk, brandy, honey, and cinnamon; a hot toddy Vaubois would simmer each morning on his silver ‘spiritiera’ (spirit stove). An amuse-bouche follows, consisting of aged local Pecorino cheese and Gouda cheese served with Maltese dates and olives accompanied by ship’s biscuits. The Pecorino is made from local sheep’s milk and aged for three months in a cellar, following a centuries-old tradition, in one of Heritage Malta’s sites. Smooth, fresh, and unwrinkled, the dates exclusively sourced for Heritage Malta are rarely cultivated on these Islands. The ship’s biscuits, made from flour, water, and salt are a precursor to presentday ‘Galletti’ (water biscuits). The next atypical entree on the menu is local tuna cured in sugar and coffee served with rucula, dried local figs, radishes, and pickled mango. Barricaded behind their bastions, with no access to local salt pans, the French garrison preserved tuna with what was at hand, in this case, coffee and sugar. The coffee imparts a dark colour to the cured tuna, which has been dried for 48 hours. Although the French would have had no access to mangoes, the blockading British with their East India Trading company links might have had pickled mangoes on board during this period . A soup made from rehydrated lentils, peas, chickpeas and North African spices is followed by the donkey-stew. Dessert is a date, walnut, and oat cake, complemented by a sweet wine from Venice. Liquid sustenance in the form of Chablis and San Josef, two French wines found in General Vabois’ cellar, provide an added note of authenticity to the meal. Corroborating this fact, a bottle of Chablis dated to the period in question and originating from the Captain of Galley’s cellar in Birgu was retrieved from an underwater excavation. Book your own private event, partake of similar repasts and savour history on your tastebuds by sending an enquiry to clive.cortis@gov.mt

Pay homage to the quality of time Giancarlo and Riccardo Camanini 52

Lido 84 is a visually stunning restaurant on the edge of Lake Garda in northern Italy, set in the village of Gardone Riviera and housed in a historic building decorated with striking Art Deco and contemporary works. Here, the Camanini brothers – Riccardo, the chef, and Giancarlo, the restaurateur – have created a small, thoughtfully crafted venue with a stellar gastronomic offer. Nowadays has been garnering growing global attention and appreciation, debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, in No.15 position. 54

“We were born in a family where eating was linked to community,” recalls Riccardo. “Very often, at weekends, we would be 10 or 12 people between relatives, uncles, nieces and nephews. Our grandmothers cooked and there was a vegetable garden, as well as rabbits and chickens – those small family pantries that are very genuine and very tasty. So we represent Italy because of what we had the good fortune to experience as children – a good and genuine cuisine that is made within the family. This is perhaps the true Italian specificity: that good cuisine is already evident in the home.” This is linked to the concept of quality time, which is essential to how the brothers run Lido 84. Especially after the pandemic, they reflect, people who go out to eat at restaurants do so in search of a special quality of time – shared with others, enjoyed to the full and later cherished. 55

RICCARDO CAMANINI Italian Chef Riccardo Camanini grew up in a small village near Bergamo in Lombardy. At the age of 19, he landed a job working under revered Italian chef Gualtiero Marchesi, and this is when his calling in the culinary industry came into fruition, explains Camanini, “I fell in love with the design of food and fine dining. I experience a new way of cooking; a cuisine made of art, something that reinterpreted time and space, making the most of both the material and spiritual aspects of a raw ingredient”. Armed with a newfound culinary obsession and a freshly honed set of skills, Riccardo left Italy for the United Kingdom in hopes of widening gastronomic perspective. ‘I wanted to understand French classical cuisine so I went to work with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, and then in Paris with Alain Ducasse’s right-hand man, Jean-Louis Nomicos, at La Grande Cascade. It was when he was offered the position of head chef of Villa Fiordaliso, a gourmet hotelrestaurant on the shores of Lake Garda, that he decided to return home to Italy. Aged just 24 at the time, the young chef approached the challenge hand-on and immersed himself in his role, quickly learning how to effectively manage his team, organize the business and wholly embrace responsibility for the entire establishment and its operations. In 2014, at the age of 40, Riccardo felt the need for change. Along with his brother, Giancarlo, they invested their savings into what was then a dilapidated building in the lush Gardone Riviera, and their restaurant, Lido 84, was born. Shaded by camphor and olive trees and lapped by the iridescent Lake Garda waters, the restaurant was their gift to themselves, and an opportunity for the brothers to finally realize their dream of owning their very own restaurant. ‘We found a retro lido by Lake Garda, which was owned by an old lady and her family. We wanted to respect her legacy and kept the name Lido 84. In fact, we made very few changes to the actual building, but designed a décor that was inspired by the colours of the lake, 1960s Art Deco and the works of celebrated Italian film director Federico Fellini. “Our philosophy for the restaurant was to pay homage to the quality of time. We look at the dining experience as a whole; every detail counts and our dishes must show respect to the ingredients we use and the customers who come through our doors. I respect the products, the techniques and the mystery that can be found in every plate of food”. 57

Perhaps the most obvious example of Riccardo’s cooking philosophy is his infamous dish of Cacio e Pepe cooked inside a pig’s bladder – quite possibly one of the most Instagrammed dishes in Italy.

Lido 84’s dish: Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe en Vessie “The idea came about one day after work when I went back to my brother’s house”, he explains. “We poured a glass of wine and watched television. I had been thinking about creating a spicy, strong dish for the menu but didn’t know which direction to go in. I’d read about this Roman technique of using animal organs as containers to cook in – Bartolomeo Scappi, the Pope’s chef in the 1500s wrote a whole book about it. After trying a few different pasta dishes that turned out too al dente, I decided cacio e pepe had just enough cheese and liquid to make the pasta soft enough. It took a long time to get the dish right but it is a favourite of mine.” Working with people like Gualtiero Marchesi and Raymond Blanc has made produce just as important as the cooking techniques for Riccardo, and he’s constantly working with suppliers to make sure he only gets the very best. “We have an excellent fisherman who catches us pike and sardines from the lake, and a butcher who is just as open-minded as me. We are also resourceful – we make the most of the cedar trees and herbs surrounding us, using an extractor to make juices and oils from what we forage, to add to broths or risottos”.

WORLD DISHES Lido 84’s dish: Spaghettoni, Butter, Yeast Crumbs

THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 1. Over the last few years, the Camanini’s have doubled down on making Lido 84 the best restaurant it can be. This has meant growing from a team of seven in 2014 to a team of 24 in 2021, going deeper in the search for excellent products, and even reducing the number of tables in the dining room to offer each customer an increasingly outstanding hospitality experience. For them, it all boils down to an attempt to represent Italian identity in all its facets, from gastronomy to service and décor. 2. The House Special is Rigatoni ‘Cacio e Pepe’ cooked in pig’s bladder, where Roman peasant marries French royalty : the result is a perfectly clean yet powerful pasta that contains nothing more, nothing less than necessary. A clever and evolutionary dish that at the same time feels so humble and heartwarming. 3. The profession of restaurateur is embraced in all its meanings. You will experience a guests-first mindset. We are aware the guests want to be heard, known, and empowered, and we are tasked with the challenge to anticipate their needs and deliver a wide array of great experiences. 60

AWARDS

July 2015 selected into the best 37 worldwide chef for the Gelinaz Shuffle Event

Il Mattino di Napoli

Alain Ducasse came to cook in Lido 84

December 2016 Chef of the Year for Identità Golose 2017

November 2015 new ranking into L’Espresso Guide with 18/20 e 3 Hut

November 2017 Best Restaurant Service in Italy for the Gambero Rosso Guide 2018

positioning Lido 84 between the best 30 Restaurant in Italy

November 2017 Rice of the Year for l’Espresso Guide 2018

November 2015 new Ranking into Gambero Rosso Guide with 84/100

November 2017 Double Buttons with Ricotta Cheese, Lemon, Cabbage, Mackerel

May 2016 selected into the best 100 European Restaurant,

elected Dish of the Year for Identità Golose 2018

79 over/100 by OAD (Opinionated About Dining)

October 2018 Best Performance and 5 hats for L’Espresso Guide

and selected between the best 9 European Start Up

October 2018 3 Forks for the Gambero Rosso Guide

July 2016 Selected to be present into the MOMA of San Francisco with:

February 2019 Cacio e Pepe en vessie elected House Special

“Spaghettoni Butter and dried Yeast”

for the World Restaurant Awards

November 2016 Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe Cooked into the Pork Bladder

June 2019 Receives the Miele One To Watch Award 2019 at The World’s 50 Best

Best Dish for Identità Golose 2016 and

Restaurants 2019 awards ceremony at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore

More Cited Dish in Italy for 101 food writer respondents

June 2020 4/100 for Top 100+ European Restaurants 2019

December 2016 Considered among the 10 Most Influential Chefs for 2017

OAD (Opinionated About Dining) October 2021 15/50 The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021, Highest New Entry Award

gioiabananas

he Terrace at Rampila is on the original gun emplacement overlooking the defensive ditch and the entrance to the City of Valletta. The position, completed in 1582, was connected with the Cavalier of St. John and was designed to be pivotal part of the defence of the city against attacks from the land. Together with the Cavalier of St. James, facing from the opposite side of the Bridge, the fortifications commanded the approaches to Valletta. Today St. John’s Cavalier is the seat of the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta while the passage way to the middle wing is where the Rampila Tunnel Restaurant is situated. Alongside the Rampila Wine Bar is what remains of the linking tunnel between the two Cavaliers. Rampila Restaurant today dedicates itself to an entirely more peaceful purpose of offering the finest of cuisine, wines and hospitality in this historic and iconic location.

DELICIOUS

November 2021

THE ART OF PERFECTION Interview with

Samantha Gatt

When did you decide you wanted to become a chef?

After running my own business for 8 years which was a fashion related business, I decided that it was time for a change. Cooking was always my go to when I needed to wind down and simply relax and clear my mind. I also wanted a less stressful career but little did I know how wrong I was, as this industry turns out to be quite intense. However, food is how I can express my creativity and allows me to be artistic in ways that nothing else can. I love bringing people together through food, hosting and curating specific dinners, and witnessing how through taste, texture amongst other things people are able to experience a connectedness between one an other. This makes me feel euphoric and is a clear indication that this is what I truly want to be doing.

How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?

I guess it’s a very simple one... cooking with love and care and sharing it with the people that matter. Cooking for me is a very personal way of expressing my emotions towards the people that I am sharing it with. 64

Determined, adventurous, ambitious, and perfectionist would be a fair way to describe one of Malta’s promising talents in the food industry, Samantha Gatt. Her eyes convey her joie de vivre, and a character that evokes traits of Jo March, Lucy Pevensie and Hemione Granger. Her words and work convey her deep interest in anything that pertains to the world of food.

How do art and food fit together in your everyday life? Food is art. I see food as being one very unique art form as it can play with all of your senses.

How do you achieve perfection? Do you have a signature dish?

I don’t have a signature dish but I do have a particular cooking style. I like showing my creations through tiny nibbles/canapés which are usually created around a particular theme. Depending on what my inspiration would be at the time. For instance specific colours or feelings are examples of what have in the past inspired me to create a whole menu from scratch which often manifests into what I call a little feast.

You recently graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, what attracted you to that school in particular? When I decided I wanted to seriously study culinary arts, I instantly knew that Le Cordon Bleu was the school that I wanted to go to in order to pursue my dream. It’s one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world and the teaching at that school is on another level. You get to learn all the classical techniques. One could question it to be old school however talking from my own personal experience you actually do get all the necessary knowledge an aspiring chef requires to pursue their passion. I have learnt so much throughout my time at that school and I owe it to my teaching chefs, especially to one in particular who has been of guidance and support throughout. His mentoring I will carry with me throughout my life.

“Cooking requires confident guesswork and improvisation – experimentation and substitution, dealing with failure and uncertainty in a creative way.” Do you agree with this statement?

What I believe is that passion is the most important ingredient for cooking. Cooking gradually improves when you are constantly inspired to experiment and create new dishes to share with others, and it becomes personal when you inject a tiny bit of your character into it, which will ultimately lead you to your own particular cooking style. Uncertainty and failure is a part of life, and we need to still embrace our failures as I truly believe that it’s through such failures that one becomes more knowledgable.

I am considered to be a perfectionist in all that I do, sometimes a bit too much maybe. However the older I get I am noting that striving to achieve a sense of perfection has been a somewhat misguided belief in my life, often leading me down the wrong path. When you do something with passion, love and dedication it is very likely that “perfection” or better honest and unique experiences can be achieved.

Why shouldn’t food be associated with guilt?

This was something I struggled with for a good part of my life. The moment food is associated with guilt it can never actually be enjoyed. I consider this to be very sad as food is there to bring nothing but joy, contentment and a sense of connection. It’s truly a gift we should all cherish and be grateful for.

Why is inspiration never objective?

We are influenced by many of the things around us most times even with us not even realising. However I would think of Inspiration as coming from a very personal place nonetheless where our opinions and subjective knowledge are very present which makes inspiration less likely to be objective.

What’s next for you?

I now want to gain some experience in the industry after all my studies, and have just recently started working in a restaurant here in London. I want to keep on learning and getting to know the industry, discover what I wish to do and what I don’t. To be fully honest this industry is intense, tough and also stressful and you have to make sure to take care of yourself as much as possible. My dream is to one day teach and share my knowledge with others, especially with those who always had a passion and love for cooking but can’t actually be part of the intense culinary world because they might be less abled than others. The majority of this industry doesn’t cater or care much for anyone who doesn’t fit within the description of a “normal abled” body, however I as a person who have suffered from chronic illness throughout half of my life want to show that there are ways for those like me who don’t fit in that box to pursue their dreams. I want to keep working on my Intimate Affair dinners and events and hope to see this reach more people in the coming years. Until then it’s all about learning more and never stopping for me. 65

www.mazagafruit.com

Melon

Award Winner of 2017

Fruit & Vegetable Market, Imports Fruit Section No. 13, Ta Qali, Attard. Tel: +356 2143 4668 Fax: +356 2141 8025

Passion is the word which connects Chef Luke Camilleri to the gastronomic world. Indeed, he is passionate about food – not just preparing it, but enjoying the warm social atmosphere it brings to any dining table.

Interview with

Luke Camilleri

Passion is also the spark which triggers him to continue developing his culinary and to reach new heights in the industry. Chef Luke Camilleri shares with Delicious his passion for food and what makes the culinary industry such a challenging yet exciting place to work in.

COOKING WITH 67

PASSION What is food? The British entertainer, Delia Smith, once noted, “Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed... I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself.” Indeed, food is the sensation of well-being that derives from the fulfilment of a natural instinct whilst being enjoyed alone or in the company of others.

James Beard once noted, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” To what extent do you agree? Food can be found anywhere and everywhere. It is powerful enough to influence friendships, loving and supportive relationships, and great family relationships between siblings, or between a mother and a child, or a father and a child. Food is strong enough to build different kinds of relationships as well as to improve different kinds of people. Food can help us all to grow in many ways.

What is your favourite ingredient to use? I have many, but my favourites are local pork and anything our sea can offer. Our local prawns rossi have such an amazing flavour.

What does the future hold in terms of restaurant trends in Malta? The future looks quite promising, yet there are key challenges which will determine how much the industry will thrive, mainly the long term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of human resources available. Having said so, I am confident that restaurants will continue to evolve, and more quality restaurants will open in Malta.

How has the Malta food industry changed over the last few years? I think the local food industry has developed substantially thanks to the talent available in various leading restaurants on the island. The country is indeed blessed with a number of great chefs especially a young generation who is willing to dare, to experiment and to take the local industry to the next level. Malta’s inclusion in the Michelin Guide with five restaurants being awarded a star and three restaurants being awarded a Bib Gourmand for “good quality, good value cooking” is clear proof of Malta’s progress. The food industry has also developed thanks to people. Distance is no longer a limitation and technology has brought food closer to our home. People travel, experiment and expose themselves to different tastes and food experiences. Moreover, the TV, the internet and social media has transformed food into an accessible tool. Thus guests are more critical, and more demanding.

Some words of wisdom for a keen home cook? Enjoy cooking, never force it and show love to the food. 69

How much should I eat? Tricks to help with “portion control” For many people, eating for weight loss needs more than just eating healthily. Taking a careful look at the quantity of food one eats is very important! This is especially true now that larger portions of food are sold in supermarkets and eating out.

Examp le

Veg eta bl e

0% s5

Carbs 25%

The Plate

Mo d

If measuring or weighing food is not practical, then using one’s plate or bowl as a portion control guide will help you determine the ideal portion for a well-balanced meal. Restaurants are notorious for serving a large portion. If you are eating out, you can always ask for a half portion. Alternatively, you could share a meal with someone or order a starter and side instead of a main dish.

Protein 25%

Evidence suggests that sizes of plates, spoons and glasses can unconsciously influence how much food someone eats. For example, using large plates can make food appear smaller, habitually leading to overeating. Therefore, exchanging the usual plate, bowl or serving spoon for a smaller alternative can reduce food portions and prevent overeating.

Eating quickly makes you less aware of getting full and hence increases the likelihood of overeating. As your brain can take up to twenty minutes to register that you are full after eating, eating slowly can reduce your total intake and therefore portion sizes. Through simple dietary changes such as using smaller dishes, eating slowly, and measuring food intake, portion control can be a quick fix that may prevent binging on food and ultimately improve wellbeing.

Hope for Hospitality

It is using the holiday season to reflect on the unprecedented nature of events of the last two years while looking ahead with renewed spirit and optimism for 2022.

20 22

50 Best has set out its resolution and ambitions for next year by launching the 50 Best Hope for Hospitality manifesto amid an ambitious programme of events which culminates with the World’s 50 Best Restaurants award ceremony in Moscow.

In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 50 Best pivoted from publishing its annual ranking and hosting live events to focus on fundraising and supporting the hospitality sector through its 50 Best for recovery programme which included raising $1.29m with the support of its partners. 50 Best distributed grants to more than 200 restaurants and bars in 53 countries and donated to a series of non-profit organisations in the food and drink sector. 50 Best also launched its first charity e-book, Home Comforts: simple lockdown recipes from the world’s best chefs and bartenders, the Recovery Summit and the online Recovery Hub, which collected content to offer advice, information and inspiring stories for the sector when it needed it most. The new year will kick off with the launch of the Middle East and North Africa 50 Best Restaurants with the awards being held in Abu Dhabi in February 2022. This will shine a spotlight on the region as a world-class culinary destination. A number of consumer focused events will bring some of the top chefs from around the world to the Middle East, in addition to celebrating local and regional culinary talent.

During February, the second edition of 50 Next will be organised. This is an annual list of young people who are shaping the future of gastronomy. It was first launched in April 2021. Formed through robust research and analysis by 50 Best in partnership with the Basque Culinary Centre, 50 next showcases a diverse global selection of bright young minds who have turned their ideas into reality. The unranked list aims to inspire, empower and connect young people who are truly pushing boundaries and tackling challenges from fresh perspectives across the food and drink ecosystem. Champions of Change, an initiative that was launched in 2021 will also continue in 2022. 50 Best Discovery will also see further additions to its list. This is an in-depth collection of city guides for restaurants and bars which is an extension of the 50 Best rankings globally. Nearly 600 venues were added in August 2021 bringing the number of establishments on the platform to 2,000 with 81 countries included. Additional entries are to be added in the new year.

by Ivan Brincat

foodandwinegazette.com

Nicolò Momesso How does it feel to win the Junior MasterChef at the age of 11? It is hard to describe that feeling. It was so sudden and unexpected. All I can say is that my Junior MasterChef experience made me understand that food is my passion.

Where does your passion for cooking come from? It all started thanks to my grandmother, with whom I spent many hours in the kitchen.

Sweet or salty? I prefer salty, both for cooking and for eating.

What is your favourite ingredient? I have no favourite ingredients. I like everything. I believe this is a huge plus in the kitchen.

Can you tell us a little about your TV debut in the gastronomic column of I Fatti Vostri? I really enjoyed my experience leading the kitchen section at “I fatti vostri”. It was an opportunity for me to develop both from a professional and personal point of view. It was also an opportunity to meet other leading Italian celebrities.

What role does sport play in your daily life? Sport is very important in my life. I regularly go to the gym yet also practice martial arts.

What dreams does a class of 2004 have? My dream is to open restaurants in various cities around the world.

Chef / Actor / 17 / Italy

Christmas in Gozo

In search of identity:

Malta’s culinary scene has never looked brighter A six week stay on the island in summer only served to confirm what I have been observing over the past few years. The introduction of Michelin, despite some criticism, has really pushed the bar as ambitious chefs and restaurateurs step up their game amid the hardships and difficulties that the pandemic has created.

Revisited sheep’s milk cheese by Alex Dilling

There were two dinners over the summer that taken separately both could easily fit the bill as among the best I’ve enjoyed on this Mediterranean island.

The second was at Noni under chef Jonathan Brincat who after clinching a Michelin star for his restaurant is really pushing the bar when it comes to a focus on local produce, flavour and technique. The two meals together highlighted the country’s ambition of becoming a culinary destination despite the evident limitations when it comes to fresh produce. That’s one challenge that is often mentioned on this small island with limited resources. I’d eaten before at Noni when Jonathan was giving a modernised twist to some of Malta’s classic dishes and flavours. What was an excellent ‘bistro’ has become a fine dining restaurant that clearly aims to push the boundaries on the island. The chef is working on finding producers that can give him produce he can work with on a daily basis.

Ħobż biz-żejt 2.0 by Jonathan Brincat of Noni Restaurant

They say comparisons are odious and indeed it is unfair to compare the two experiences because one involved Alex Dilling, the chef of former 2 Michelin star restaurant The Greenhouse with an impressive pedigree of working under French giants Alain Ducasse and Helene Darroze before going solo. The British chef was spending 100 days at Ion – The Harbour (later extended), one of the latest restaurants to clinch a Michelin star under talented Maltese chef Andrew Borg.

As for Alex Dilling, apart from his classic dishes, he has been able to showcase the finest of Malta’s fish and seafood which as he himself says has been nothing short of outstanding. For that he has his suppliers to thank and they are none other than the family that runs Tartarun, another restaurant that might be slightly off the radar, though the work being done by the Schiavone brothers (together with their parents) is really worth following and discovering. The presence of Alex Dilling on the island this summer has been extremely important for the local culinary scene. It helps when a ‘foreigner’ of that calibre gives a new interpretation to certain ingredients. Take thelocal ‘ġbejna’ or the humble fresh sheep’s milk cheese which is maybe the most ubiquitous Maltese cheese though there has been a movement over the past few years by one or two cheese producers to movebeyond the traditional. He used it as a replacement to butter to accompany the bread service whipping it with olive oil from Gozo. In that simple gesture, he’s shown what can be done with technique and creativity taking what’s normally found in the most humble of Maltese platters into a fine dining context. Alex Dilling’s menu has put the limelight on locally sourced fish and shellfish though many of the dishes he has served during the 100 day pop-up were classic dishes reminiscent of the cuisine that has made him world famous. It will be interesting to see and follow the evolution for as long as he 75

Cocktail: Il-Mejilla Rabbit Liver

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Pork shank

Octopus stew

On the other hand, Jonathan Brincat with his Ħobż biżżejt 2.0 is also playing with our memories of what is most quintessentially Maltese. Nothing shouts of Malta more than bread that is served with tomatoes, olive oil, basil, tuna, olives. At the beach, as a lunch, as an appetiser while enjoying a beer, it may be one of the few things that unites the Maltese which have a tendency to see all things as ‘us’ and ‘them’. The new version is served in two different dishes. The first showcases the Maltese tomato often lauded with pride but often mishandled or not treated with the respect it deserves. The second serves a superb tuna belly (rarely served in restaurants) with sea urchin, samphire and radish to add freshness. There were other dishes of note, from the the wreck fish with a whey sauce, clams and fermented capers which to a perfectly executed risotto with veal tongue and aged balsamic vinegar just to mention two dishes. Over the past months there was also news that Bahia, another Michelin star restaurant in the little village of Lija would be moving to the Corinthia in Attard as part of a refurbishment of The Villa. It is likely that this will give the talented team led by chef Tyrone Mizzi more space to flourish. For a small country of just over 500,000 people, the island can boast of five 1 Michelin star restaurants. That’s no mean feat. The remaing two Michelin star restaurants are De Mondion and Grain by chefs Kevin Bonello and Victor Borg. Below the radar but also performing very solidly are the Schiavone brothers mentioned above. Tartarun has by far established itself as the fish restaurant to visit on the island. If you are there, you would do well to ask for their tasting menu. The Golden Fork by female chef Letizia Vella is also hitting the right notes. Letizia is revisiting a number of local dishes in her

Wreck fish at Noni Restaurant Valletta

stays in Malta but on this summer’s showing, it would not be a surprise if Malta ends up with a two Michelin star restaurant sooner rather than later.

restaurant which she opened in 2019. She’s interned at The Fat Duck and also served as Chef de Partie at Dinner by Heston. It is clearly one of the restaurants to watch together with another relatively new restaurant Rebekah’s by chef Andrew Vella. The latter spent time with chef Yves Mattagne, formerly of Sea Grill in Brussels. Another one worth following is Rafel Sammut a chef and activist who you are likely to find either in Briju’s kitchen, feeding the poor with his Victory Kitchen soup kitchen project or swimming long distances to raise funds for charity. At Briju, Rafel has taken the constraints of local produce and location (his restaurant is bang in Malta’s notorious red light district) and turned them into his favour. It is one of those places you’d want to return to time and time again. On the sister island, Gozo, Paul Buttigieg continues to hit the right notes with It-Tmun in Mġarr which remains one of my favourite spots on the island. Good bread has been a constant at many of these restaurants and while the traditional Maltese ħobża has a reputation for being good, it is the sourdough bread made either by Crumb Crew Bakery or Good Stuff Malta that have really stolen the show. Then there is also the work being carried out by Keith Abela of Natural Preserves Malta. This chef turned forager has a spectacular knowledge of produce and local ingredients and he is helping to deliver such produce to some of the top restaurants on the island. Today, he lectures and researches local ingredients and is also experimenting with goat cheese production trying to help the very few goat’s milk farmers that remain. It is through the work of these chefs who are trying to build an ecosystem that values the work of local producers and farmers that Malta’s culinary scene can improve. There is of course a lot of work that still remains to be done. But Malta’s culinary journey is just starting. And that journey is looking extremely promising.

Octopus at Golden Fork in Attard

by Ivan Brincat

foodandwinegazette.com 77

Gnocchi Gamberi e Pistacchio

Starter Serves 4 Main Serves 3

RECIPE Ingredients 1 pkt Gnocchi 700grm Fresh Prawns 40grm Butter 200grm Cherry Tomatoes 2 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and crushed 50 ml White Wine or Vegetable Stock 400ml Tomato Salsa 100grm Baked and Chopped Pistachios Fresh Basil Parmesan Shavings Salt and Pepper

Method Cook the gnocchi according to packet instructions. In a separate large pan, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic and add in the prawns. Half cook the prawns, remove and set aside. Fry the cherry tomatoes in the same pan, stir in the white wine and the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the cooked gnocchi and prawns to the sauce. Add the butter and slow cook for another 3 minutes. Serve with chopped basil, pistachios and parmesan shavings.

Misto Scoglio

Starter Serves 4 Main Serves 3

RECIPE Ingredients 500grm Spaghetti 700grm Mussels fresh or frozen 700grm Clams fresh or frozen 300grm Squid clean and cut 8 pieces of Prawns 300grm Cherry Tomatoes 2 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and crushed 50 ml White Wine Salt and Pepper

Method Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. In a separate large pan heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic. Add the squid and stir every now and then. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, stir in the wine and prawns. Add the mussels and clams and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the shells are open. In the meantime drain the pasta, add a drizzle of olive oil and stir in the seafood mix. Serve with chopped parsley.

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Fish and Chips

All Inclusive Buffet Every Sunday Lunch Price: Adults € 29.50 Children (6-12 years) € 14.00 Children under 5 years FREE

• Pizza • Snacks • Cocktails

Great Dane Restaurant (Danish Village),

c/o Mellieha Holiday Centre, Ghadira Bay, Mellieha, MLH 9064, MALTA ☎ (+356) 21 57 57 50 / 21 57 39 80 info@walshs.com.mt Find us on

https://www.facebook.com/GreatDaneRestaurant1

RECIPE Ingredients

Method

White Fish Sunflower Oil

In abowl, pour the beer and water. Whisin the flour slowly until there are no lumps of flour in the batter. The consistency will now becaome thick. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Better Batter 250 ml Blue Label 100 ml Sparkling Water 300 g Self-Raising Flour 1 tspn Salt Pinch Pepper

Make a deep pan with sunflowe oil. Take your desired white fish and coat in flour and then in the batter. Now deep fry until golden brown. Serve with French fries, tartar sauce and mashed peas

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

All Inclusive Buffet Every Sunday Lunch Price: Adults € 29.50 Children (6-12 years) € 14.00 Children under 5 years FREE

• Pizza • Snacks • Cocktails

Great Dane Restaurant (Danish Village),

c/o Mellieha Holiday Centre, Ghadira Bay, Mellieha, MLH 9064, MALTA ☎ (+356) 21 57 57 50 / 21 57 39 80 info@walshs.com.mt Find us on

https://www.facebook.com/GreatDaneRestaurant1

RECIPE Ingredients

Method

2 Lamb Shanks 1 small Onion 2 medium Carrots 2 Bay Leaves 2 tspn Cumin Powder 50g Tomato Paste Salt & Pepper Red Wine Rosemary Spring

Put some sunflower oil in a pot on medium heat. Fry the lamb shanks until caramelized. Remove the lamb shanks from the pot and fry the onions and carrots. Add the cumin, bay leaves and tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the wine, salt and pepper and let the sauce reduce on low heat. Put the lamb shanks in a deep oven tray and add the sauce. Cover with water. Cook in an oven at 160oC and cook the lamb shanks for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the lamb shanks from the sauce and reduce the sauce to the desired consistency in a pan over low heat. Decorate with a resemary spring.

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Photo Daryl Cauchi