After a day spent skiing, arriving at Hotel Principe delle Nevi in Cervinia works better than a massage or a sauna. The elegant laid-back atmosphere of this new hotel allows you to immediately feel at ease, once you take off the boots and wear clothes that are more suitable for a dinner. Because one of the most interesting elements in this hotel, opened a few years ago by Italian-Scottish James McNeil together with his Norwegian partner Kristin Gynnild and Israeli entrepreneur Sefi Vigiser, is the restaurant.
Guiding the restaurant of the Principe delle Nevi hotel, there’s Federico Zanasi, who grew up with Moreno Cedroni and was for a long time the chef at Clandestino. His story has little to do with the mountains: he was born in 1975 in Castelfranco Emilia – the home to tortellini – and his early experience was clearly accomplished in local restaurants. After some experience abroad, in the US and in Spain in particular, in a starred restaurant in Mallorca (which no longer exists) and at Espai Sucre in Barcelona, at thirty Zanasi arrived at Cedroni’s court.
«I remember I had thought I wanted to work with
Moreno – the chef from Modena says – when I saw a picture of his with a bandana and an apron with chilli peppers drawn on it. The fact he was out of the common strongly attracted me. With him I gained lots of diverse experience, at
Madonnina del Pescatore, at
Clandestino, of which I became chef, and in various consultancies for other restaurants, including the
Long Beach in Mauritius.»
The collaboration with
Principe delle Nevi, instead, began three years ago: «At that time I told
Moreno, who was about to open in London, that I would not follow him for the winter season. I had recently got engaged to a girl from Torino and was looking for something closer to her. The opportunity arrived with this Hotel. At first I declined their offer, because I didn’t feel I was totally capable of running the entire restaurant of a hotel, then I told myself to be brave and accepted the challenge. Then this year I decided to end my collaboration with
Cedroni because I wanted to be closer to my family.»
The snares of this role, for
Federico Zanasi, were not just the fact he had to manage everything, from breakfast to dinner. He also had to face a cuisine and raw materials that were different from those which he had used until then: «The cuisine we would offer with
Moreno was entirely based on fish, on the sea, so I had to learn a lot. Besides I had to confront myself with very different guests, less gourmet and more international. Here at
Principe delle Nevi at lunchtime we serve dishes created to skiers, trying to keep prices low and allowing them to eat well and in little time. In the evening part of the guests are the half-board ones from the hotel, while as of this year we have opened a room dedicated to the gourmet restaurant.»
Ravioli del plin with oxtail and butter aromatised with smoked eel
A beautiful and welcoming room, with a nice view of the valley and Cervinia. Where
Zanasi offers an intense tasting menu, fun (and with an affordable price at 54 euros), made of dishes that have delicate yet decisive flavours. Starting from the first dish offered to those who choose this menu (it is not indicated in the list), which is truly special and delicious. It’s a very unique
Onion soup, an idea that comes from the need, felt in every kitchen, of using leftovers. In this case, the classic onion soup, among the dishes served at lunchtime. It is then reduced, from 5 litres to 500 grams. It is rolled out on a baking tin and dried in the oven for eight hours at 65°C. «At that point the fructose in the onion creates a sort of skin which is cut into tagliatelle and served in a broth made with parmesan crust»: a real delicacy, a dish that is both surprising and reassuring.
Goat glazed with fermented milk, spicy blueberries and rapini
The
Ravioli del plin are also excellent, filled with oxtail and served with butter aromatised with smoked eel, or the
Goat: «It’s a dish introduced this year, I always try to add new dishes based on mountain products. We serve the goat with a sauce made with fermented milk and dried blueberries, rehydrated with a hot meat jus.»
The season at
Principe delle Nevi ends early in May, then
Federico Zanasi wants to stop for a while: «My son was recently born, I want to dedicate six months to him, being just a father. Till I return to Cervinia next winter, to continue this project for which I’ve grown very passionate.» Until then, there are still a few months to enjoy his cuisine in the shade of Mount Cervino.
Snowflake, Hotel Principe delle Nevi
Strada Giomein
Breuil - Cervinia (Aosta)
+39.0166.940992
info@principedellenevi.com
From early November to early May, always open, lunch and dinner
Average à la carte prices: starters 16, first courses 16, second courses 22 euros
Tasting menu 54 euros
