Visit Google and search for the best chef in the world. Only one name will flash - Chef Massimo Bottura. Based in Italy, the three-time Michelin Star chef is known for adding a contemporary touch to traditional recipes. In collaboration with Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace, Chef Massimo Bottura brought the taste of Osteria Francescana, rated as the World’s Best Restaurant by The World’s 50 Best at least twice, to India for the third time from April 19 to 20, 2024.
This is Chef Massimo Bottura’s second visit to New Delhi, and he will be recreating the magic of his restaurant, located in Modena, Italy, in The Leela Palace. Known as a philanthropist and culinary maestro, Chef Massimo Bottura is set to open restaurant number 13 in Miami, USA. For every restaurant that he is associated with, the chef ensures to open a soup kitchen to serve everyone who comes at the door.
Massimo Bottura Believes ‘Culture Is The Most Important Thing For Chefs’
Speaking about his achievement, Chef Massimo Bottura said that after three Michelin stars and taking Osteria Francescana to the top, he strives to shape the future. “Keep pushing and keep dreaming,” he advised the chefs.
Another suggestion that the culinary maestro had was, “Culture is the most important thing for chefs of the future.” He said that as long as chefs are aware of their culture and surroundings, they can be creative with the food and their recipes.
For example, Massimo’s Cinque età del Parmigiano Reggiano recipe includes the five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, which he was able to create because he understood how cheese is made, processed, and aged in Modena, Italy.
Massimo Bottura And His Love For Reinventing Grandmother’s Recipes
Chef Massimo Bottura is known for reinventing old conventions. When he started Osteria Francescana, he struggled to keep the restaurant alive. Natives thought he was killing age-old recipes. “People thought I was crazy. I was doing things out of the box,” the chef added while reminiscing about his struggling days,” headed. In the Chef’s Table by Netflix, he credited his wife Lara Gilmore to push him into trying and working on what he believed.
During the conference in New Delhi, the master of the culinary world said the secret to his success was doubts. “You walk into the kitchen and you have doubts, you will ask yourself questions, and in the quest to find answers to those queries, you evolve,” he added.
Massimo Bottura And His Unique Take On Presentation
Chef Massimo Bottura takes pride in creating a space that not only serves delicious food but also creative ideas that convey emotions and transport customers to gastronomic heaven. He had been able to achieve it all with one piece of advice that he shares in all his interviews, “Leave space for poetry.”
He believes, “Ä chef is more than a sum of his recipes.” In an exclusive interview with Slurrp, he spoke about the importance of presentation in elevating the dining experience. If you know about Chef Massimo Bottura, you must know the story behind the creation of ‘Oops! I Dropped The Lemon Tart’ by heart.
The dish is named after his friend and pastry chef Takahiko accidentally dropped one of the lemon tarts he was supposed to serve guests. It was Bottura who saw poetry in something messy, and today, this dish is almost a synonym for his name. Chef Massimo believes that how a chef presents or plates a dish is a way they want to convey the dish to their customers. “Emotional experience is crucial. It should build a connection [with the customer],” he added.
There was a time when Osteria Francescana did not have any customers, and whoever came through the doors did not understand Chef Massimo Bottura’s creations. But today, it has a staff of 110 people who serve customers at the 12-table (can accommodate around 28-30 people) world’s best restaurant. He does not wish to clone the legacy of Osteria Francescana, therefore, every other restaurant that he opened or has been associated with is known for its individuality and a different connection with natives that is served on the table along with drool-worthy gastronomic creations.