Scabin’s strike

Devil of a Scabin: the French decrease his restaurant from 2 to 1 Michelin star and six months later the 50Best sends him back among the World’s 50 Best restaurants. And it’s not even the first time that the establishment from Rivoli takes part in the Gotha. The records go thus: debut in 2007 at number 46, out in 2008, first re-entrance in 2009, 42nd. Confirmed in 2010 and 2011 (when he reaches number 28, his all time best so far). In 2012 he’s once again out but in 2013 he makes a last-grasp effort and is back at 40th place. In 2014 he’s just outside the limits (51st), in 2015 he moves further back to 65. A few hours ago the surprise: Combal.zero is once again in the elite, 46th as in 2007. «I’ve left and come back 3 times from the 50 best», he explains, beaming, «I believe this is a record».

So while the French noted a decrease last December («The result of various visits», the editor in chief at the Red Guide Sergio Lovrinovich reassured us), the global jury of the 50best sees his return among the World’s 50 Best, in front of a large group of 3-starred restaurants.

Congratulations, chef. So, who’s right? 
These two worlds are structured in a very different way. I’m in New York now and let me say there’s no tool as powerful as the World’s 50Best. The interest it stimulates on a global and commercial scale is striking: from one moment to the next you’re at the centre of the world’s attention. As for the different criteria I don’t know what to say. What I know for sure is what happens between our walls: we have improved further and this is why the global jury rewarded us.  Perhaps we sometimes make things whose value is difficult to assess immediately.

Avantgarde is never understood as it happens, once said Ferran Adrià.
Perhaps. Indeed I believe our Up&Down menu, launched exactly one year ago [shortly before the Michelin Italia Guide ended its editorial work] has opened a new road. Guests are very impressed because what is unacceptable for their brain, that is to say proteins and fat served at the beginning of the meal, is in fact absorbed very well by the body, hardly affected by the 13 courses. It’s a menu that turns the classic sequence of dishes upside down. It’s a simple and revolutionary message.

A good way of reacting.
Always looking from a different point of view from the one imposed by others, is the only way I know. It’s what I tried to do after the Michelin episode: after a month of delusion and sufferance, especially for my disappointed team, we were back at work with an even greater energy and motivation.

Out of curiosity: did you lower the prices after the demotion?
At first I thought about it. Because when we had two stars our prices were already higher than the other restaurants in the same category. In fact not only did I not lower them, but I even increased them by 3% because we have worked a lot on the Up&Down menu. A project with a cost. From which guests didn’t suffer.

Did the number of guests decrease in the six months after the Michelin episode?
If any, they increased. With an incredible moral support that continues strike me.

On the spur of the moment you told us you might have spoken with those at the Red Guide.
I preferred not to. They’d have the usual answer: ‘stars are added and removed because of the cooking’. I respect the approach. However, I believe that if the Michelin Guide wants to stay contemporary, it must be transparent. It should explain the extra-culinary reasons behind a promotion or failure. Because it can’t only be a matter of cooking.

Osteria Francescana is the number one restaurant in the world.
It’s a great joy for Massimo. A long-time wish. Most of all, it’s a joy for all of us and for young Italians who can have a stronger belief in what they do.