29-12-2012
In the center, Hotel Hassler's Imàgo restaurant's executive chef Francesco Apreda and his Italian-Indian team at Vetro, Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai
I still remember, as though it were yesterday, that day, 8 years ago. The owner and general manager of hotel Hassler, Roberto Wirth, called me in the office to give me the news: the Oberoi group needed our consultancy to open two Italian restaurants, one in Mumbai and the other in New Delhi. For me, this was a bolt from the blue at a very busy time: at only 29, I had very recently become the executive chef of Imàgo and my arrival in Rome – after 12 years spent abroad – was already sparkling. Fully aware that this wouldn’t be a job to take lightly, I decided to go abroad once again. In almost 8 years of consultancy, Vetro in Mumbai and Travertino in Delhi have become two points of reference for Italian cuisine in India: the fact that we’ve already been awarded is thanks to the great sacrifices we have made on both projects. In a country that is growing strongly but still has lots of unsolved problems, we encountered many difficulties. But we’ve always overcome them, thanks to all those who have collaborated, especially my sous-chefs, who accepted the challenge of living and working in India to represent Hassler and Italian cuisine. And then there’s the food. How can you not fall in love with the spices, the markets full of good food, the biryani rice, the tandoori chicken? At the beginning I couldn’t understand the food: too many spices, too hot. But when you get used to it, doubts are transformed into a passionate journey among never-ending surprises.
White truffle Italian menu: huge success in India
Men who, for a moment, leave pots and pans to tell us their experience and point of view
by
From Western concert flute to cakes