The chef that came from Sannio

Exciting, engaging, charged-up, educational: these four adjectives describe one of the most edifying experiences in my career. The plan for my trip to Milan initially included the now traditional, and always rich in inspiration, stop through the stands and the lectures at Identità Golose. Then, with some colleagues met thanks to social networks or simply on the phone, between one chat and another we created a dinner prepared by 6 people to which some extra 6 minds were added: this is how the 6+6 dinner-event at Enocratia was created and planned for Sunday 10th February.

So I had one extra good reason to be in Milan. Later, a pasta producer asked me to cook at his stand, so the trip became even more interesting. I thought this was it, but a few days before my departure I was told I was to be given a prize and that I would have to get on the yearned-for stage: San Pellegrino awarded me with the Vent'Anni prize, destined for chefs under 30. Just visiting the congress, many more events added up and revealed to be one more exciting than the other: the stands and the overall organization, exceeding my expectations, the preparation of my dish at the stand which was very gratifying, the dinner, which was fun, amusing, sensational.

And the prize-giving was breath-taking! In front of me there were loads of people who waited for me to speak. They weren’t there for me exactly, but for Massimo Bottura who was to arrive just after me... But I pretended they were there for me and the emotion assaulted me from the tips of my feet up to the top of my head. It was educational, charged-up, engaging, exciting! I returned to my Sannio aware that I had learnt all that was possible there and that I had exported a little of my land and my food philosophy.

I came back home with loads of business cards from producers, colleagues, exhibitors, which will help me to keep up with the times without ever lowering my guard, with a beautiful award-plate, round as perfection and I hope unbreakable, after the disastrous and unexplainable fall and consequent break of the award-plate given by L’Espresso for the Best young restaurateur in the Guida 2013. I’m still bursting with excitement after the emotion felt on that stage... and after the daredevil ride of the pilot who flew me back to Naples, with three great new friends: Eugenio, Christian and Claudia. And I’m full of expectation, waiting to receive the good news from Alberto Piras who, a few moments after we said goodbye on Sunday night, after the fun-filled after-dinner organised in the kitchen of Enocratia, played us a dirty trick...

And then there’s a sentence that at every instant resonates in my head: “Head down, lets build the foundations together for we could be a future point of reference”.