27-09-2018

Ana Roš brought Slovenia to Milan

The number 1 female chef according to the 2017 World’s 50Best took part in a special dinner at Identità Milano. Here’s how it went

Ana Roš last week in Milan, in Via Romagnosi 3,

Ana Roš last week in Milan, in Via Romagnosi 3, the location of the international hub of gastronomy (photos from OnStageStudio)

«It was a beautiful night. At first it was a little hard, as often the case: my staff arrived late and had never worked with the brigade at Identità. But soon things went fine: in Via Romagnosi you can count on many very young people who surprised me thanks to their determination and skill. At first the service was complex, then everything went for the better and I was very happy». This is what Ana Roš, best female chef according to the 50Best last year, said after being the international guest of a very prestigious event at Identità Milano.

In the kitchen 

In the kitchen 

We ask her how she selected the courses to serve in Milan. She says: «The choice was hard, because at my restaurant I serve a menu with 11 courses plus 4 extra entrées and 3 snacks, so they’re all small tastings. Finding among them dishes that could "stand" the entire dinner, hence with adequate portions, wasn’t easy». In the end, she chose four delicious signature dishes which we’ll present at the end of this piece. Before that, here’s our chat with Ana.

Meeting with brigade and staff before the service

Meeting with brigade and staff before the service

She loves her region, she enhances it: «"My" Slovenia is a mountain area, but close to the sea, with lots of water and rivers. We can count on many typical products», to which she gives value through her restaurant «because producers are now used to preserve constant high quality, which was not the case before». Hence excellent meat, extraordinary mountain cheese, fabulous mushrooms, lots of herbs (it’s a foraging area...). «It’s only a little too cold in the winter», Roš says with a smile, and adds: «If I had a restaurant in Istria, perhaps I’d create the best restaurant in the world... But it’s fine; I want Hiša Franko to be a sort of theatre of taste where I can use and enhance the products of my region».

Ana Roš con Alessandro Rinaldi, resident chef of Identità Milano

Ana Roš con Alessandro Rinaldi, resident chef of Identità Milano

The chef with Rinaldi and Ribaldone

The chef with Rinaldi and Ribaldone

Then she says: «For producers, the relationship they have with my restaurant is crucial, because it would be hard for them to sell all they find or produce at those prices. I feel responsible towards them: I want to ensure they have the right earnings when they have the product available. For instance, this year I bought plenty of mushrooms because it’s a very good year. I didn’t feel like no longer buying them, I would have caused a damaged to those who look for them for me».

Our maître Andrea Polini serves a glass of red wine 

Our maître Andrea Polini serves a glass of red wine 

Brigade at work with Ribaldone

Brigade at work with Ribaldone

A successful choice: «The restaurant is going very well, there’s around a month-long waitlist. This is why we don’t have many Italians: they’re not used to wait to get a table! Instead, we have many American, Canadian, Australian guests… Many have found about me through Netflix and Chef's Table. This year, for instance, there was a boom among Norwegians and Scandinavians. Few English and French, overall».

 Ana Roš, Alessandro Rinaldi and our pastry chef Gabriele Tangari

 Ana RošAlessandro Rinaldi and our pastry chef Gabriele Tangari

Roš at work with mushrooms

Roš at work with mushrooms

Here’s the menu Ana Roš presented at Identità Milano.

Trout, whey, poppy seeds, beetroot with tonka vinegar 

Trout, whey, poppy seeds, beetroot with tonka vinegar 

Trout, whey, poppy seeds, beetroot with tonka vinegar (paired with Berlucchi ’61 Brut) - «I chose trout because it’s a typical ingredient of Slovenia and of my restaurant». It’s a very delicate dish, the trout is perfectly cooked (only 2 minutes), so it’s very soft. The pairing with whey is excellent. Sweet notes prevail, though there’s a contrast given by the sourness of the beetroot, though not very strong.

Tripe cooked in a jus of game, Tolminc, local mushrooms, fried nettles

Tripe cooked in a jus of game, Tolminc, local mushrooms, fried nettles

Tripe cooked in a jus of game, Tolminc, local mushrooms, fried nettles (paired with Ferrari Perlé Millesimato 2012) - «I had to present tripe in Milan. First of all, because it was easy to increase the portion I usually serve at Hiša Franko. Secondly, because it’s paired with mushrooms, of which this year there’s plenty». Perfectly cooked and delicate tripe. The cheese sauce is rather aggressive.

Roe deer, anchovy, red fir, wild mushrooms 

Roe deer, anchovy, red fir, wild mushrooms 

Roe deer, anchovy, red fir, wild mushrooms (paired with Allegrini Valpolicella Superiore DOC 2016) – Excellent, perhaps the best dish of the dinner. Delicious meat, very soft, perfectly cooked. The pairing with anchovies was perfect. Very, very good.

Dessert with porcini

Dessert with porcini

Dessert with porcini (paired with cocktail Belvedere) – In this case too, the standards are very high. There’s an interesting hot-cold contrast and use of mushrooms in a dessert.

Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso


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Maurizio Trezzi

journalist, born in 1966, a graduate in Physics, today he works in communication. He reported on two Olympic Games and 5 athletics world cups for Eurosport. A great lover of fine food, Caribbean rum and golf

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