Buonocore, an Italian genius in Paris

There are victories, almost always in sports, that are recognised by everyone, a clean win like the new European cup won by the team guided by Roberto Mancini or the extraordinary Olympic medals of the Italian team in Tokyo. Nor did the 2021 Nobel prize for Physics to Giorgio Parisi or the triumph of Maneskin in the Eurovision contest go unnoticed.

And then there are other equally important moments, whose meaning however is not that clear to most people. This is the case of the opening of an Italian restaurant in Paris, on the 8th of September, which has represented an important step for our restaurants abroad. Enrico Buonocore, who opened the very first Langosteria in March 2007 in Milan, opened the fifth branch in the French capital. This is the first one abroad, an extremely important establishment, both right now and when looking at the future, as there are more to come.

Arriving in this metropolis is already an achievement in its own right, as the French love absorbing us, adding an accent to the last vowel of our surnames, so as to make us French. They envy our products, our ideas, projects, our know how mixed with a strong genius, often decisive to become successful. But do not remind them of this. The national grandeur, the sense of superiority, is so much in their blood that they often appear arrogant. Which has a positive outcome for us: it forces us to do things so well they are forced to acknowledge us seats in the front row.

This is what has now happened to Buonocore who in mid-2018 sold 40% of his shares of Archive, which was entirely controlled by Ruffini partecipazioni holding, in other words Remo Ruffini, Mr Moncler, one of the 900 richest men on the planet for Forbes, with a wealth of 4 billion dollars. Three years later Paris. Langosteria has settled on the banks of the Seine, on the last floor of hotel Cheval Blanc. To get an idea, a short walk from the Louvre.

This White Horse is not just any 5-star luxury hotel in Paris. It is pure Luxury, owned by Lvmh, that is to say Bernard Arnault, according to Bloomberg the richest man in France and in Europe too, third in the world after Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, a personal wealth that is slightly above 176 billion dollars. Buonocore said: «How did it start? Simple, two years ago Arnault called me and asked me if I wanted to open on the rooftop of Cheval Blanc. I said “why not?” and now that the pandemic is no longer blocking us, I've left for a soft opening and some fine tuning».

There's no space for mistake, at those standards there are no second chances. The goal scored by Enrico is very important for our restaurants because Arnault could have picked anyone, starting in France. After all, for the Cheval Blanc in Courchevel in Savoie he called Yannick Alléno, three stars there and as many in Paris, at Pavillon Ledoyen. Buonocore said: «I feel like an Italian ambassador and I tell my Italian colleagues to join me here because there's much to do starting from the offer of some authentic Italian cuisine, without any compromise. Arnault was brave to call me, it wasn't banal at all, so much so that I've immediately received visits from some great restaurateurs and from the most popular pastry chefs. They wanted to know why he made this choice».

A decision that has mixed all the cards because Langosteria is not the only novelty. Niko Romito will sign the offer at hotel Bulgari, while OIiver Piras and Alessandra Del Favero, ex Aga in San Vito di Cadore, are the new chefs at Carpaccio inside the Royal Monceau, an arrival supported by the soundness of the Cerea family in an establishment that has always had a keen eye for Italy, ever since Angelo Paracucchi, starred six years later, arrived here in 1984.

But what is the secret behind Langosteria's success? Buonocore has no doubts, after all he opened in 2007 in Via Savona in Milan with these words: «I will take off the tie from fish». Mission accomplished, and now it's the turn of Paris: «We're fun, it's not like going to a pompous mass. We don't just serve seafood, we offer pure entertainment. While clubs and discos are in crisis, in this post-pandemic phase the entertainment is to be found in the dining room. My task? Look at everything and keep my ears well open». There is no space for mistakes, not even a detail. This is always the case, but at number 8 in Quai du Louvre this is ever more so.

In the key roles we have Michele Biassoni chef, Mirko Vinci is his executive sous chef and Stefano Lanfredi the sous chef, with Gianluca Penna restaurant manager, Miguel Soliz his assistant, and Alessandro Zingarello general manager. And then Domenico Soranno and Denis Padron will have their saying as they are the historic executive chefs of the group, while Valentina Bertini manages the wines, on the banks of the Seine as well as in Milan and in Paraggi in Liguria.

Final note: for info and bookings, call +33.1.79355033.

Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso