Berton’s return

Here, in the kitchen, the staff is under pressure, they need to try the dishes out; in the dining room, instead, everyone’s busy assembling the tables and fixing the lamps. In the middle, there’s the chef - he’s concentrated, as happy as a child at Christmas, as careful as a director on the set of a film: «I can’t wait to start. I feel like a football player who’s back after an injury». In this early-December-Milan, Andrea Berton is full of adrenaline. The 43-year-old chef from Friuli, previously working with Marchesi, two Michelins stars at Trussardi alla Scala, is a true star-chef.

On December 13th he will launch Ristorante Berton in Milan, an ambitious project – someone mentioned 2 million euros («Leave them be»), seating some 40 people, with 390 square metres, a team of 20 people including Claudio Catino of Terlizzi, as sous chef, and Alberto Tasinato from Ivrea, in the dining room: they were working with him in piazza della Scala, now they are busy in Viale della Liberazione 13, in one of the buildings composing the 2.0 city, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. This is the Milan of Porta Nuova, with the Diamantone close by, the works still proceeding, the entrance overlooking the pedestrian area awaiting the future coming and going. It’s a working site, both inside and outside.

The chef's table for 2 has just arrived. There will be no tablecloth, as in the rest of the restaurant. With us of Identità Golose it’s a sort of opening. The watchword is new: «This place fills me with energy. I wanted something that did not exist before: and here everything is springing up from nothing». Having closed with the past, we ask about the end with Trussardi: «It gave me a lot, this change is giving me even more». Are there some new ideas in the kitchen too? «The evolution is constant». In other words: «My ideas remain. But I want it to be less rigid, more fresh, natural, free. There will only be a few elements, paired in an innovative way. Clients need to understand what they have in front of them».

The menu is top secret. Meanwhile, after a few snacks (puffed potatoes with paprika, steamed bread rolls with veal in tuna sauce, Parmesan and potato puff-pastries) a new entry arrives: Eel, its fragrant skin, beetroot, yogurt and powdered extra virgin olive oil, there are some typical ingredients of Berton while his clear elegance remains untouched. Three offers remain in the menu after the previous seasons, the rest is to be discovered, while the valorisation of chicken has already been announced («Free-range, they breed it in the province of Crema, with figs. Its meat is sweet. We will create a nice contrast with the crispiness of the skin…» gives an idea of a new main course). Then, despite having always had a mild attitude towards exotic influences, he reveals some of the discoveries he’s made during the past few months spent travelling: «I visited Brazil, I learnt the use of tapioca and I will add to my cuisine»).

During the year-and-half break he also dedicated a lot of time to restaurants. Two, his own: the Pisacco-Dry pair, of which he’s a partner, has revitalized via Solferino, «today it’s become a gourmet street. I’m glad to have bet on this city, I could have flown to New York, or Hong Kong...» - other places he visited. We ask his top five: «Too may come to my mind. A great Oldani. Nino di Costanzo. Bottura. And Parini, Uliassi («I cannot understand why they fail him»), Cuttaia, Ghezzi, Niederkofler. I had a great time at Quadri, run by Alajmo».

The dessert is served: Caramelised bread, powdered gianduia, a meringue cylinder filled with gianduia cream, hazelnut ice-cream. Tasinato serves it and tells us about the wine list: «It will include around 400 labels, we will valorise wines served by the glass». For non drinkers, the menu à la carte will start from 80 euros, with two tasting menus, for 80 and 110 euros «a Lombard-Milanese one, and a second, more fun, one».

We have a walk around the dining room: the same thin tables in smoked oak (one of them is a sort of cube overlooking the kitchen, through a window), Giorgetti leather armchairs, wood and brass and steel coloured metal, lots of light, warm shades between beige and ecru, resin floors, lamps designed by Tiziano Vudafieri himself, the author of the project and a partner in via Solferino. Time for the final greetings: «Chef, what are you afraid of?». He points at the works: «Of one thing alone, that they won’t finish in time».