“The philosophy of our restaurant is based on two concepts: the people who work there, because it’s the people who make the restaurant; and on actually being a restaurant, in other words not merely a static place but a dynamic environment.”
Today we meet Chef Dario Guidi, the custodian of a tradition now spanning 120 years, who is keeping the name of the family project alive in the Antica Osteria Magenes, in Barate di Gaggiano (near Milan). This is the location of the 18th-century country house transformed into an osteria by his family at the end of the 19th century.
Chef Guidi’s cuisine blends an unconstrained interpretation of the local area with a playful atmosphere that features prominently in every one of the restaurant’s dishes. A unique all-round experience that characterises the interaction between kitchen and customer in the Magenes tradition.
Chef Guidi proposes a surprising dish to pair with Berlucchi Cuvée JRE n°5, the Franciacorta wine created by Berlucchi specifically for the chefs of the JRE association, to which he belongs.
The chef presents us with an unusual “pappa al pomodoro” featuring parmesan cheese, sea urchins and lemon. A sweet and savoury dish, where sea meets land, typical of the playful style of the Osteria Magenes’ cuisine: in fact the tomato in the name is only recreated through a sculpture in blown sugar. The mock tomato is stuffed with the mousse of the vegetable itself and sea urchins, with parmesan cream completing the dish and signalling its Italian origins. In this dish, the simplicity of tradition is combined with a touch of the culinary avant-garde.
This seemingly simple but multifaceted dish is perfectly matched with Berlucchi Cuvée JRE n°5, a 2009 vintage Franciacorta Riserva, 100% Chardonnay with more than 10 years of ageing on the lees. The wine conveys vivacity and grace in the glass, elegantly elevating the flavour of the dish and leaving a clean and very pleasant finish on the palate.
In the Chef’s words:
The accompanying song: ‘Viva la Pappa col Pomodoro’ (‘Long live tomato bread soup’) by Rita Pavone – A fun and “bubbly” song that represents the dish in every way.
My #Berlucchimoments is a moment of peace and celebration. After the chaos of the day as an entrepreneur and chef, the chance to relax with a glass of good wine is a reward I won’t deny myself.