Spotlight on: Fabio Granata
He was 28 years old when he received his first Michelin star. Milanese chef Fabio Granata from L’Arsenale Restaurant graces our shores with a guest stint at Basilico, The Regent Singapore from 17 to 21 August.
epicure: At 28, you were the youngest chef in Italy to receive a Michelin star. Did you have a lot of expectations to live up to?
Fabio Granata: Yes, with any Michelin recognition, guests have higher expectations of what you can bring to the table. The wonderful thing is, if you’re focused on keeping to a consistently high standard, the awards come as a pleasant surprise. And once you’ve received them, you’ve established something you can continue to be proud of.
Your primary source of ingredients is Lombardy. Why do you favour the region and what can guests in Singapore expect on their plates?
I come from Lodi, a city and commune in Lombardy which is situated on the right bank of the River Adda. I get most of my ingredients from local farms and small distributors, and like to surprise my customers with them. I’m looking forward to doing the same in Singapore with dishes like Sturgeon Confit with Chick Pea ‘Panissa’ and Parsley Sauce, Spit Roasted Pigeon with Cinnamon Apple Compote and Mustard GrainVinaigrette, and Homemade Raviolo filled with ‘Ricotta di Seirass’, Soft Egg Yolk and Herb Butter Emulsion.
Tell us more about 'territoire cuisine'.
I see the ‘territoire’ or territory cuisine as an amalgam of a few things: the local produce of Lombardy tied in with age-old recipes acquired from my grandmother and well-developed culinary techniques.
How do you divide your time between your two restaurants, Tre Gigli all’ Incoronata di Lodi and L’Arsenale?
I have trained a chef at the former who now runs the kitchen at full speed with a very capable team. I only take on a mentoring position there, which allows me to focus most of my time at L’Arsenale.
What was your three-year stint in Ristorante Balzi Rossi like?
It changed my life. The two Michelin-starred restaurant is located in the Riviera which borders the Ligurian Sea. We had access to the freshest seafood and we used that to our advantage by ensuring we honed our cooking techniques to match the quality of ingredients. Everything we do at my restaurant now is the same as what we did there—sourcing the finest produce and preparing everything from scratch.
Did your love for sturgeon stem from Balzi Rossi? What other seafood do you like to work with?
My passion for sturgeon started four years ago when a very experienced chef taught me everything he knew about this fish. Lombardy is one of the major producers of sturgeon, and Lodi is situated by the river where they are caught. When I purchase my stocks, I go to a supplier who sells them to me live. Sturgeons are valued as a primary source of caviar, but their meat is deliciously dense and slightly oily. For this reason, I also like working with scorpion fish, turbot and amberjack.
Your wife Sara, who is the sommelier at L’Arsenale, will be in Singapore with you. How will she curate the wine list for your dinner event?
Sara and I chose the best wines that we believe will enhance the dishes I've specially proposed for this promotion. These will include a 2005 Barolo, Vigna del Gris, Conterno Fantino, and 2008 Pinot Nero, Franz Haas.
Any new trends surrounding northern Italian cuisine?
Food trends, in my opinion, can be a little dangerous. While it is good for a chef to upgrade the menu with the latest ideas, doing it too often and on a big scale might backfire as the chef risks losing the restaurant's unique identity. Although right now, the fusion kitchen, which marries European and Asian flavours, and the reinterpretation of hard to find age-old dishes seem to be the latest driving force in the Italian culinary scene.
5 things you didn’t know about Fabio Granata:
The thing I am looking forward to the most in Singapore is:
The local cuisine, I can’t wait to try some good Chinese food.
My love for sturgeon has inspired me to invent dishes like:
Risotto with fresh green peas and white sturgeon ragout.
The best part of working with my wife is:
Being able to share the feeling of satisfaction when we’ve created a memorable dining experience for our guests.
The must-order dishes at Tre Gigli all’ Incoronata di Lodi and L’Arsenale are:
Grilled pigeon with potato cakes and mustard vinaigrette, fried cod with potatoes puree, onion and Treviso radicchio, and all of our risottos.
My favourite Italian chef is:
Enrico Cerea from Da Vittorio restaurant, which is located within a charming villa in Bergamo. Outside of Italy, I’d have to say Giovanni Speciale from The Regent Singapore.
Chef Fabio Granata will craft a special five-course degustation dinner ($88) from 17 – 21 August, teach a cooking class ($110) on 18 August, and host a wine dinner ($98) on 19 August. For reservations, call 6725 3232.
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