Three Italian chefs will tour in Moscow
The gastronomic tour of the famous chefs of Italian hotels from the Orient-Express collection will take place in Moscow. These are Roberto Villa from Hotel Splendido & Splendido Mare (Portofino), Roberto Toro from Grand Hotel Timeo (Taormina, Sicily) and Attilio di Fabrizio from Villa San Michele (Florence). The tour will take place in the Baltschug 5 restaurant. During the gastronomic days, a special menu from the chefs will be presented, valid until February 20.
As part of the gastronomic tour, a gala dinner will be held on February 19, with the participation of the Italian Ambassador to Russia, Cesare Maria Ragaglini. Sicilian musician Carmello Strazzeri is invited to the evening, who will create the atmosphere of an Italian evening with guitar solo. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the evening.
Each chef has his own unique style. Roberto Villa has been heading the Chuflay restaurant of Hotel Splendido & Splendido Mare since 2001. The main focus of his menu is traditional regional cuisine. The chef prefers local products and seasonal dishes. Among the admirers of the talent of the chef and his guests of honor are Madonna, Vladimir Putin, the Jordanian Queen Rania and many others.
Roberto Toro, the chef at The Restaurant at Grand Hotel Timeo, uses exclusively local products to prepare his meals: Pacino cherry tomatoes, Bronte pistachios, Salina capers, red garlic from Torre Nubia, Sicilian cheeses and wines. The restaurant’s menu is based on traditional Sicilian and Mediterranean dishes, such as red shrimp ravioli, fresh lobster medallions and a traditional cod salad. Exquisite Italian and French wines are selected for each dish.
Attilio di Fabrizio has been the chef at Villa San Michele’s La Loggia Restaurant for over twenty years. The chef was trained in one of the most famous schools in Italy – Villa Santa Maria. The restaurant has a tasting menu of 16th-century Florentine dishes.
Splendido & Splendido Mare is located in a picturesque harbor on the Italian Riviera. It is located in the province of Liguria near the French border. After reconstruction, the hotel has become one of the best European resorts. The Hotel Splendido & Splendido Mare was originally opened in 1901. A four-story building on the site of the hotel in the 16th century. It was a monastery built specifically to repel the attacks of the Saracens attacking from the sea. In the XIX century. Baron Baratta, on the site of the ruins of the monastery, built a magnificent summer residence, located on the tops of the hills. The specialties in the hotel restaurant are prepared according to traditional recipes of Ligurian cuisine, which is known for using a lot of fresh herbs to provide an unusual aroma. During warmer months, lunches and dinners are served directly on the outdoor terrace or by the pool. Many famous guests stayed at the hotel, including Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton ), Groucho Marx (Groucho Marx) and others.
Grand Hotel Timeo is located at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level, not far from Mount Tauro on the east coast of Sicily, in one of Taormina’s most famous resorts. The hotel is located just a short walk from the ancient classical theater. It offers scenic views of Mount Etna. Today, Grand Hotel Timeo consists of three buildings: Villa Flora, which has 31 rooms and suites; the main building, which has 41 rooms and a suite, and a conference center building. The hotel has become a favorite destination for Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren. The main menu of the Grand Hotel Timeo restaurants is traditional Sicilian dishes. Guests can choose between several restaurants and bars depending on their mood and preferences. On the eve of its 140th anniversary in 2013, the hotel was named the “Best Hotel in Italy” and took fifth place in the “Best Hotel in the World” nomination for the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Award.
Hotel Villa San Michele is housed in a former convent of the 15th century. The authorship of the facade belongs to Michelangelo. The hotel is conveniently located on the hill of Fiesole, 12 minutes from the center of Florence. From here, the gaze of the guests reveals all the splendor of the panorama of the city. The main building is adjacent to gardens, with fragrant lemon trees and rose bushes. The interior design was carried out by the famous architect Federico Forquet. At Villa San Michele, he worked in a style reflecting the culture and traditions of Florence, finding inspiration in old library photographs and engravings of Florentine villas. Each of the large, spacious rooms is equipped with walnut wood furniture, wrought iron lamps.
