20-11-2019
Paulo Airaudo, Italian-Argentinian, 34. He’s chef at Amelia in San Sebastian in the Basque Country and at Da Torre in London, both with one Michelin star (photo Instagram/restaurantamelia)
For some time now the name of Paulo Airaudo is happily gravitating in our orbits. Since last year, to be precise, when Paolo Marchi first told us about this brilliant Italian-Argentinian chef, born in 1985, who after only 8 months got a Michelin star for his Amelia in San Sebastian, in the Basque Country (a couple of years earlier he had earned one in Geneva, in the late La Bottega). Only 12 months later, we must update our records once again, as Airaudo has just received a second star for restaurant Da Terra in London, opened only 4 months ago in Bethnal Green. And there’s a whole series of projects coming up that might enrichen this bundle: in February 2020 Amelia will move, always in San Sebastian, to the more ambitious Hotel Londres y de Inglaterra, in front of the scenic Conchabeach. The current location in Prim Kalea will change name to Da Filippo, an Italian restaurant serving more traditional food, while on the same road the chef is expected to open a third place in San Sebastian, Cantina Argentina, specialised in meat “asada”.
In San Sebastian, Amelia received a Michelin star only 8 months after it opened
Many Italians in the team: left to right, maître and sommelier Marco Adreani, barman Marco Ferreri and pastry chef Andrea De Lillo
Gamba blanca: small prawns, mackerel sashimi, tomato in gel and confit, sauce of oil with wild fennel and creme fraiche
Lobster with corn air, sour petals of begonia and a light spicy note
Venison with purée of nettles and oil with parsley
Goat cheese flan with caramel of sweet potato: fantastic (photo Instagram/restaurantamelia)
Rape: Monkfish, XO sauce and bagna cauda
All this while in the background plays at a significant volume “Are you experienced?” by Jimi Hendrix (blasphemy!) and here and there Darth Vader masks and other motifs play it down. As contemporary as it gets.
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
Amelia Restaurant Calle Prim, 34 Donostia-San Sebastian Basque Country, Spain +34943845647 Only tasting menu for 139 euros (plus 73 or 118 for the wine pairing) Closed on Sunday and Monday. Open at lunchtime only on Saturday
Gabriele Zanatta’s opinion: on establishments, chefs and trends in Italy and the world
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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