Carlo Cracco

 Credits Brambilla-Serrani

 Credits Brambilla-Serrani

Cracco in Galleria

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Milano
T. +39.02.876774

What more can we say about Carlo Cracco, from Vicenza, a world-traveler like all chefs – because experience, observation and knowledge are the real bricks of every great cuisine – settled in Milan since 2001 and since 2018 at the helm of the restaurant in Galleria, the town’s noble sitting room? We can start by saying that he wears an “anti-guru” nice beard, that he is a positive man and that he loves challenges, especially those set on stoves. For example, during Le Fooding ’s Milan edition, a French event bringing together great chefsto a rock concert atmosphere, Cracco prepared the less obvious and more disturbing dish, matching oysters and kidney (assisted also with sea urchins).

The way this guy crosses flavors (hot salad and mushroom, crème brûlée with ‘olive oil butter’) is not just a game that makes use of products and blends them in order to play with contrasts. It’s a philosophy of synthesis: in the end it’s not diversity to be enhanced, but a brand new born taste. It is not just assembly, it’s research. It’s a real challenge because it’s not easy to manage a restaurant like this one in the center of Milan with this excellent level of magic. But Carlo can seduce any time with his charm and his ability not to take anything for granted. In years, it’s still this the element fascinating me the most: he’s ability to keep his personality and, at the same, the courage to invent himself, without succumbing to the temptation to tune himself on fashion or on the easiness of a repetitive style.

The other thing I like about Cracco is him being a boss surrounded by co-workers who are always talented like Luca Sacchi, his sous-chef or, before, Matteo Baronetto and Luca Gardini, now gone elsewhere. The skill of the people around you is always an important sign of your skill. Only the poor ones, in fact, choose bad employees. Therefore Carlo Cracco shines along with his team and always gives new experiences. Like good cooks, gourmets like to travel, discover, feel. And they always come back to the place where they felt something special, where memory has been really affected. Mine by Cracco was strongly impressed.

Has participated in

Identità London, Identità Milano, Identità New York


Carlo Cracco, born in Vicenza in 1965, after attending catering school he cooked with Gualtiero Marchesi in Milan (1986). After a series of internships with Alain Ducasse in Monte Carlo and Alain Senderens in Paris, he became the chef at Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence (1991), 3 Michelin stars in 1994. In 1994 he returned to Marchesi at L'Albereta. Two years later he opened his first restaurant: Le Clivie in Piobesi d'Alba (Cuneo), 1 star the following year. In 2001 the Milanese experience began with Cracco-Peck, 2 Michelin stars the three following years. In July 2007 he took over the whole restaurant. In 2013 he became in charge of the menu at Carlo e Camilla in Segheria in Milan and he’s been a consultant for Trussardi alla Scala in Milan, 1 star, for several times. In February 2018 the opening of Cracco in Galleria, an ambitious project in Milan.

by

Roberto Perrone

Writer and reporter, he’s a contributor of Corriere della Sera. He writes about sport and food. Every Friday he runs a food travel column called “Scorribande”. A collection of his pieces was published in a volume in March 2015