Edoardo Fumagalli and Anthony Genovese speak intensely in front of the spirits’ shelves in a room on the ground floor of La Locanda del Notaio, the hotel with restaurant in Pellio Intelvi where Fumagalli stood out, and confirmed a Michelin star. On a Sunday night in December, they talk about which spirit the latter should use to make the sauce that goes with the dish even more alcoholic. What could be a simple discussion among colleagues, however, is in fact something more. Genovese, two stars at Il Pagliaccio, is the mentor of the young chef from Brianza in the international finals of the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 which will award the best young chef in the world this coming June in Milan.
Carabiniere prawn, glazed sweetbreads, seaweed brittle with aromatic salad
The dish on which
Fumagalli and
Genovese are working is
Carabiniere prawn, glazed sweetbreads, seaweed brittle with aromatic salad. It is thanks to this dish that the 28-year-old from Renate charmed the members of the Italian jury of the
San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018: Cristina Bowerman, Loretta Fanella, Caterina Ceraudo, Carlo Cracco, Ciccio Sultano and
Anthony Genovese himself. «This recipe represents
Edoardo and his story. It was finely presented with hints at the territory [the stones from Moltrasio] but it is also suitable for an international competition as it’s a great French cuisine classic», admits
Genovese, who was born in France, but of Calabrian parents (and indeed he’ll hold the initial lecture at
Identità Milano 2018, on the 3rd March at 10.45 as Calabria is the guest region).
Fumagalli with the jury at the award giving ceremony of the Italian finals
«We’re fine tuning it», continues the chef from
Il Pagliaccio. «We won’t upturn the essence of the dish, but
Edoardo and I are discussing some small little details so that nothing will be left to chance and we can get to the finals in the best possible way». The discussion between
Fumagalli and
Genovese, of course, is not between chef and mentor, as the latter points out, «but among peers, because
Edoardo, despite his young age, is an experienced chef and fully expresses his vision in his dishes. This is why he won the Italian jury that had to choose who to promote in the international competition». A vision on which
Genovese is working with his "colleague" to find those small details that can make a difference in front of a jury of chefs from all around the world.
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
