This was all possible at The Real Food Festival, the largest array of independent food producers in the UK that took place recently in London. The Real Food Festival was a real treat or better it was an awesome collection of real treats. More than 22,000 curious and hungry visitors tasted the products of 400 exhibitors, producers or importers of artisanal products, the fruit of labour and love of small producers from all over the world.
There were seminars and competitions but the real highlights were the demos of top international chefs that were going on, no stop, on the Demo Kitchen theatre.
The list of chefs was impressive. From Raymond Blanc, the two Michelin star chef of La Maison aux Quat’Saison, to Jun Tanaka of Pearl, Mark Jordan of Ocean, Henry Harris from Racine, Ashley Palmer-Watts from the Fat Duck and many more.
To represent Italy and the beloved Italian cuisine were Carlo Cracco, chef owner of the Ristorante Cracco in Milan and Giorgio Locatelli, chef owner of Locanda Locatelli in London. Both, besides being very skilled, are handsome and very personable so the audience responded warmly to their performance on stage.
Carlo Cracco gained two Michelin star for his work in his restaurant in Milan, the iconic Ristorante Cracco, which was recognized recently as one of the Best 50 Restaurants in the World by Restaurant magazine. Carlo’s cuisine is highly sophisticated, inventive and daring. It shows that he has trained with Gualtiero Marchesi, first in the Marchesi’s restaurant in Milan and then at the Locanda dell’Albereta in Franciacorta. It also shows what he learned at Alain Ducasse. In fact he worked at Ducasse’s Hotel Paris for 3 years.
For the Real Food Show, he cured prosciutto and demonstrated a “glorified” Caprese complete with a baked oyster topped with chocolate (that ‘s what I meant with “daring”). He loves the food from the small artisanal producers that he considers the “bones” of his cooking. He says “ They are like a skeleton, and as such they need to be respected, helped and supported. They are so important”.
After a little pulling and pushing, I was able to get one of his signature recipes straight from the Ristorante Cracco’s menu. Here is the Lemon and Anchovy Risotto, Cocoa with Chilli, Carlo’s take on a classic risotto with a twist.
Giorgio Locatelli’s style is completely different. His inspiration is clearly the Italian traditional cuisine that he interprets with the skills and flair of an accomplished chef. It is the nonna ‘s (Italian grandmother) cooking with a creative spin. His talent got him a solid one Michelin star since 2003 and a steady flow of admirers that crowds his restaurant, Locanda Locatelli, considered one of the best Italian restaurants in London. It must be in his blood because his family run a Michelin- starred restaurant on Lake Maggiore.
Locatelli has worked hard to arrive to today’s position of prestige. He worked first at the Savoy in London and then in Paris at the famous Tour d’Argent. Back in London he worked at l’Olivo, before opening the acclaimed Zafferano that got him in 1999 his first Michelin star. He opened the popular Spighetta and Spiga before opening Locanda Locatelli in 2002, his first independent restaurant.
Giorgio is passionate about real food, the one still touched by the hand of the producer and loves fresh and seasonal food (the menu at Locanda Locatelli changes every week accordingly on what he can find on the market).
“I buy fish and meet in England” says Giorgio “ but I buy almost everything else from Italy, even vegetables and fruits” .
When I asked if he had just one advice for someone that loves cooking and want to improve, he replies “ Go to the market. Ask questions, get to know the ingredients. That’s the best thing to do”. So he believes in the education of the consumer and you could see how fond he is to teach others. For the Saltimbocca, the Veal with Prosciutto and Mushrooms, the recipe he demonstrated at the show, he explained everything in details: the meat he chose and why, how to fully tenderize the meat, how to trim the edges of the Saltimbocca so they look pretty.
Irene de Gasparis
