If you were forced to describe the thriving Cibrèo restaurant empire or the ebullient dynamo at its helm with a single word, it would have to be ‘theatrical’. So characteristic is Chef Fabio Picchi’s flair for the dramatic that he even added an official cabaret experience to his stable with the opening of Teatro del Sale in 2003. But while each of the Cibrèo restaurants certainly exudes a performer’s panache, this is not entertainment in any hollow sense of the word. There is no lone player separate and unreachable on a stage, no star chef hidden away in an ivory tower kitchen. This is theater of a more inclusive and improvisational sort, the kind that crouches by your table and animatedly welcomes you to the show: “The privilege of cooking for so many people for 37 years is my real fortune,” says the maestro.
The recipes we’ve brought home are the uncommon result of both a highly technical skill set and a virtuosic feel for flavor. Adapting Chef Picchi’s playful directives brings with it a certain joy: ‘boil until it feels like the right consistency!’, and ‘apply the stickiness technique to brown!’. There is an impish flourish at the center of Cibrèo’s dishes, but there is also an unmistakable warmth. So while these recipes introduce new themes, they are also incredibly approachable and most importantly, delicious. In the end, it boils down to this simple advice from the master chef: “Choose your ingredients with great consciousness – the love you use to cook will take care of the rest!” Consider your summer starters set, and your crowds pleased.
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