Mollica with beans in New York
28-09-2015
Vito Mollica will be one of the "Magnificent 16" chef-protagonists of the next edition of Identità New York, to be held in the US metropolis, at Eataly on Fifth Avenue, from Wednesday 30th September till Saturday 3rd October
The first time is always the best: «I’ve never participated in a congress at Identità Golose. Of course I’m excited, it’s a unique opportunity to convey your experience inside a serious and important circuit, such as the one you created». With a plus: «We will be in New York and, what can I say… Everything will be even more magic». Vito Mollica will be one of the protagonists of the next edition of Identità New York. We join him in Milan, at “his” Four Seasons, «but tomorrow I’ll be in Florence», as he continues to guide the kitchen in Tuscany with the same luxury hotel chain. Then, on Thursday, the leap overseas.
He’s been various times to the American town, in fact he’s already cooked at Eataly on Fifth Avenue, which will host the event as usual. Two moments, above all, await the chef from Basilicata: on Friday he will sign the dessert in a dinner that will have him in the kitchen with other super-chefs, Carlo Cracco (entrée), Davide Scabin (first course) and Mark Ladner (main course), all this under the supervision of Lidia Bastianich. Then on the following afternoon, he will get on stage for his lecture, together with Rita Sodi, and speak about a rather unusual topic for these fine dining events: beans.
The photo of a recent four-hand dinner at Ristorante Berton in Milan, with host Andrea Berton and Vito Mollica as its protagonists
So no inferiority complex, no desire to overdo: «I will prepare a soup, which is our traditional single-dish, like soups from Japan or Vietnam». It will have beans (and what beans, the white ones from Rotonda, Potenza), pork head, cabbage and Grana Padano. «I want to create a dialogue through flavours with our emigrants or their children who are in the States and will visit us but in fact with every American because travelling is part of their DNA, they love to discover the world, even through cuisine».
He remains faithful to his motto, in other words. The latter is also mentioned in the brand new presentation of the chef on the Identità Golose website (you can read it here: it also includes lots of extra info on Mollica’s bio): «attention to the production of ingredients is mirrored in the palate. The simpler the preparation of the ingredients, the easier it is to amplify their flavours».
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journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief