Giorgio Servetto
We find Giorgio Servetto's work surprising, almost unique, and certainly praiseworthy. He's rediscovering, giving new dignity and valorising the cuisine of his region, Liguria, at restaurant Nove in Villa Della Pergola, Alassio. We repeat: surprising, unique, praiseworthy. Let's explain.
Surprising, to begin with, because of the chef's deep and aware dedication to this task. The dishes he presents are focused, each one hints at traditional recipe from Liguria, niche products, often-forgotten preparations. There's never space for banality, for shortcuts; Servetto never hesitates to research a culinary heritage that he wants to make contemporary, with a current appearance, but without ever betraying their original spirit.
Surprising, because – while the project is portentous – Servetto is a chef whose curriculum is not that of a superstar, he doesn't come from a particular school or had a special master. Born in Savona in 1975, he first approached cooking as a child, in the farm in Palo where he discovered the authentic and genuine flavours of his region, a portion of Liguria on the border with Piedmont. He attended catering school and started his restaurant career gradually acquiring success thanks to his dedication to work. In the Nineties he attended various cooking classes that opened for him a new approach to experimentation what with gourmet trends and French tradition. The experience continued in his first restaurant, ‘U sciarattü in Alassio, and in the kitchen of La Locanda dell’Asino. He drew a more modern approach in the weeks spent at Devero with Bartolini. Since March 2016 he's the executive chef at restaurant Nove.
Except for Enrico Bartolini (and only for a few weeks...) there are no big names. Yet Servetto is good, and so are the owners of Nove – the Ricci family – who selected him for this adventure...
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief