16-12-2017
STARDUST. Matteo Torretta and Federico Comi, chef and executive chef at the pass of restaurant Essenza in Milan, one Michelin star under the direction of Eugenio Boer. The latter chef left a few days after the prize arrived. Starting in January, the restaurant will have a new name and offer: 100% seafood. And Torretta will not leave Asola
Let’s recap. On Thursday 16th November the Michelin Italia guide was launched in Parma. Among the 22 Italian restaurants with a new star there’s Essenza in Milan. On the stage of Teatro Regio, Eugenio Boer confesses his «huge emotion» in receiving an acknowledgement he was aspiring to for some time. On Monday 20th November the Sicilian-Dutch chef served his last service in Via Marghera. In fact, the agreement with the owners had fallen through in July due to evident divergences. That same month, Antonio Pianu and Antonio Zucca, the partners behind Essenza - and seafood restaurant Gallura, a traditional restaurant seating hundreds of people each day – found a replacement: Matteo Torretta, chef at Asola. The agreement with the big chef from Rho was immediately clear: as of January 2018 Essenza must change name (still to be defined) and philosophy, so that the offer will be 100% seafood.
Breton clam, herb panure, spherifications of wakame seaweed
Turbot, mushrooms, Roman broccoli and pil pil sauce
The executive chef chosen for this new phase at the old Essenza is 32-year-old Federico Comi from Bergamo, who was already working with Torretta 8 years ago, at Savini. First a significant experience at Osteria Brunello now the leap to the pass that was Boer’s for almost 3 years. There’s no hostility between the outgoing chef and the new one: «We are on good terms», points out Torretta, «which doesn’t stop me from developing ambitious projects with the new partners. By February 2018 we should also open a third place, a seafood tapas bar in Via Raffaello Sanzio».
Matteo Torretta with partner/owner Antonio Pianu. There’s another partner too, Antonio Zucca
L'insegna di via Marghera, prossima alla rimozione
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
Reviews, recommendations and trends from Italy, signed by all the authors of Identità Golose
by
born in Milan, 1973, freelance journalist, coordinator of Identità Golose World restaurant guidebook since 2007, he is a contributor for several magazines and teaches History of gastronomy and Culinary global trends into universities and institutes. twitter @gabrielezanatt instagram @gabrielezanatt