22-01-2021
Massimo Bottura with his team at the end of the masterclass at Identità on the road 2020. To watch all the lessons on our digital platform, click here (for info: iscrizioni@identitagolose.it or call +390248011841, ext. 2215)
«He's the chef all the world envies us and we will never cease to thank him for having brought Italian cuisine into the future». Paolo Marchi introduces with these words Massimo Bottura's masterclass at Identità on the road, traditionally the most awaited session in every edition of the congress in Milan (and London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles …). The digital version matches the expectations because it's the faithful translation of what would have been the "in person" version. The plot is ideally divided into two parts: a long introduction in which the chef from Modena reflects on the current times, sitting at Casa Maria Luigia and chatting with Marchi. And then, at 9’ and 30’’, the real lesson with all his polyglot staff, presenting the magnificent dishes conceived during this difficult year. What follows are the highlights of this recording (a total of 40’ and 47’’). Which deserves to be watched in one session. The zoom closes up on a huge cabbage picked from the vegetable garden of Casa Maria Luigia: «It's a good emblem of the ‘sense of responsibility’, the theme of your congress», the chef from Osteria Francescana, voted on two consecutive years at the top of the World's 50Best says beaming: «in this phase we have the duty to be even more positive and propositional, something that it's even harder now than during the first lockdown, when we ended up taking the events as something extraordinary. Extra time that we had available for our loved ones and for our creativity».
Casa Maria Luigia from the drone
Bottura dressed for farming at Casa Maria Luigia
UNDER ONE ROOF. Behind the chef, Jessica Rosval (Canada), Takahiko Kondo (Japan) and Choi Jongho (Taiwan)
A close-up of the A Day in the life bread
Cod If I’m wrong I’m right, autumn version
Snails in red mole
The snail that wanted to become a caracol
Lovely Rita Sweetbreads
Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore
Which are: A Day in the life (millefoglie of knotted bread, finished with “fruity” honey from Casa Maria Luigia), Yellow submarine (Italian style fish and chips, with fried potatoes and turbot), If I’m wrong I’m right (cod with green and red curry topped with leaves of Jerusalem artichoke peel), Strawberry fields forever (a risotto that recalls the strawberries and champagne from the Eighties, but with Lambrusco replacing the champagne and the sweetness of the prawns from Mazara), Strawberry fields but not forever (the autumn evolution of the previous recipe, that is to say rice cooked with the juice of fox grapes, with a deer and pigeon ragù and herbs, «almost a dessert»), the Snail that wanted to become a caracol (corn tostada with herbs, and with red and green mole on top snails), Lovely Rita (sweetbreads with cream of plums and smoked pepper, with a boiling broth served in a jug on the side), the now legendary We are all connected under one roof dumplings (we wrote about it here) and In the sky without Lucy (millefoglie of leaves, with chestnut, pumpkin, hazelnuts, truffles, mushrooms, and a grey and cold cloud of candyfloss). «Every dish is better than the other, trust me», the chef points out with the enthusiasm for which he's famous. The natural consequence of an admonishment he repeats multiple times during the recording: «Remember, never put out the fire of creativity». A necessary condition to overcome the quicksand. To register in IDENTITA' ON THE ROAD 2020, click here (for info: iscrizioni@identitagolose.it or call +390248011841, ext. 2215)
Translated by Slawka G. Scarso
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This article is curated by Identità Golose, the publication that organises the international fine dining congress, publishes website www.identitagolose.com and the online Guida Identità Golose, on top of curating many other events in Italy and abroad
Il nuovo menu dell'Osteria Francescana, denominato I’m not there, è una nuova interpretazione di piatti classici del ristorante modenese. Tutte le foto sono di Paolo Terzi
On stage in the Auditorium, Paolo Marchi and Gabriele Zanatta (who moderated the talk) together with the protagonists of Identità Talk: Giorgio Locatelli, Massimo Bottura, Brian McGinn and, remotely, David Gelb. All photos are by Brambilla-Serrani.
Carlo Cracco, Alberto Gipponi, Enrico Bartolini, Andrea Aprea, Massimo Bottura on Wednesday morning at the Hub of Identità Golose Milano at the preview of the Identità Milano congress, which will take place from 28th to 30th January 2023 at MiCo in Via Gattamelata (photo Brambilla/Serrani)