Baronetto’s rebirth

We announced Matteo Baronetto’s great emancipation in October 2013. Almost six months later, a group of journalists from all around Italy met in Piazza Carignano in Torino for a preview of the extremely ambitious project led by the star from Giaveno. In fact, at that time he had already spent one year personally looking after the design and renovations of the kitchens at Del Cambio, the Savoy salon par excellence, opened for the first time in 1757.

The place was closed for intense renovations over the past 12 months. These were wanted by medical entrepreneur Michele Denegri, who spent a fortune (6.5 million euros, some say) to give Torino an establishment with a great potential. Meanwhile, while sided by the Soprintendenza, the boisierie were renovated, the frescos, mirrors and chandeliers were made shine inside Sala Risorgimento,thesalon on the ground floor. The result made us almost feel relieved, when eating in a place so full of history, stuccoes and white marble – after being used to the pandemic minimalism of restaurants and to the progressive removal of tablecloths and frills. There’s the aura of Camillo Benso di Cavour, a historic customer, in the air: one can imagine his spirit made cocky by the vision of the guests, enjoying themselves after a long time of honest yet soulless cuisine.

The rebirth, risorgimento in Matteo Baronetto’s dishes implies a «meditative, though not too much, cuisine», the excited 37-year-old chef explained during his assignment speech, «analysing the Piedmontese essence, to which I am rooted. I always had the ambitious of returning here. Because you can eat very well in Torino. And because sooner or later, the time comes when you need to make a leap». Those who expected to find fried sea-bass on a hazelnut brittle or kidney paired with sea urchins in the menu were left disappointed. The chef is too intelligent to try to replicate Cracco’s logic in a context that is so distant from Via Victor Hugo in Milan.

Still, in the preview starter, Vegetale, we found Baronetto’s anarchy, a pretend-disoriented disposition that opposes itself to the geometric dishing out that is so common in contemporary cuisine. This was followed by two reassuring dishes, recalling Risorgimento while looking at the 21st century: Risotto alla Cavour (with egg cooked at low temperature, roast juices, black and carnaroli steamed rice) and a Finanziera (with spectacular raw fassona meat, sweetbreads and powdered mushrooms) which is a bit of an icon-dish at Del Cambio. The time and occasion will come to enjoy this and other works.

We finish the description of the setting. This is spread over multiple rooms and destined to multiple audiences. On the ground floor, next to Sala Risorgimento, there’s Sala Pistoletto, named after the master of Arte Povera Michelangelo Pistoletto, from Biella, who designed the 8 fun human figures portrayed on mirror-plates, in a room with a more antique structure than the “first room” (the room dates back to the 18th century) but made more current and smart thanks to the decor. «Del Cambio», Denegri stressed «must be a place for everyone, whether they come from Torino or not, a democratic place, not a snob one». This explains the multi-faceted offer: beside the à-la-carte menu and the tasting one, the score includes a light lunch and a déjeuner à la forchette, a sort of Parisian ancestor of brunch.

Once on the first floor, which was completely redesigned, one can find Cavour himself in a portrait from the late 19th century: he watches, with severity, over a magnificent cocktail bar, open until 1.30 in the morning. There’s great mixology and quick tastings. A further minimization of the regal aura on the ground floor. What strikes the most is perhaps two floors below the ground one, where there’s the wine cellar created during the last 12 months among the late 17th century walls: 16 thousand different bottles, divided into 1,900 labels, with 140 champagne labels, a range of vintages from the great Italian producers (Dal Forno, Gaja, Biondi Santi…) and as many as 25 vintages of Sauternes Chateau d’Yquem, are all crammed here. This is the (growing) kingdom of Fabio Gallo, chef sommelier and pillar, together with sous chef Diego Giglio (with a previous, already finished, experience at Palazzo Parigi in Milan) and dining room manager Daniele Sacco from Savigliano. This rebirth is also thanks to them.

Del Cambio
Piazza Carignano, 2
Torino
+39.011.546690
Closed on Sunday night
Bar Cavour open until 1.30 am
Average restaurant prices: à la carte 100-120 euros
Tasting menu 120-140 euros
Twitter: @delcambiotorino