Sauro Ricci

Food can be extremely deceptive, that is to say when researching food that is not good for us, and is only fleeting and diabolic. Sauro Ricci, born in Orbetello, in Tuscany, in 1981, belongs to another race: he’s macrobiotic. Please note that this has nothing to do with fashion. For many years now, he’s followed the doctrine of long and healthy life through a diet that balances the opposing forces of yin andyang – hence vegetarian, anti-industrial, seasonal, aware. He follows a cultural and anthropological approach (indeed he read Anthropology at university), we could say holistic. He practices tai-chi, studies oriental cosmology, lives a sound and coherent life.

Having said this, for a few years now he’s been translating the ideas of Pietro Leemann into dishes, as executive chef at Joia, the first and only starred veg restaurant in Italy. In doing so, he’s returned to cuisine the way we slightly-gourmet omnivores consider it: without deceiving the commandments of his diet, he’s removed some excessive branches, widened some boundaries, and most of all he’s pursued pleasure (his own, and most of all that of his guest) so that everyone can understand that macrobiotic cuisine, and the vegetarian one too, don’t deny pleasure for our taste buds, but simply offer artworks painted with a different palette, but this doesn’t mean its colours are less brilliant or rich.

Of course in all this a strong help was given by the magic understanding with Swiss Leemann, who also handed to Sauro the direction of the Academy where they teach vegetarian cuisine to professionals and amateurs.