….  from yesterday

Was it for Matteo Ragni and Boccone Divino the same? Now it is exhibited exclusively, but we showed it at a preview during Design Week (we were the first official event!); then it became a performance for all the Week long. The dish, that cost 15€ and was dedicated to the event, was served on the Matteo Ragni’s plate. It was unique, unusual and complete: Netherlands flowers with pepper and honey. Plate and dish created my concept of clean- dish, different flavours that arouse the mouth. The basis is the respect for the raw material and what I put in (concept that we immediately understand opening the menu).

About this partnership: what can you tell us? We met during a happy hour: he appreciated the idea and the concept of Food Art. In two weeks the dish was ready, thanks to the collaboration of Andrea Oli of DuPoint, the company that produce Corean and other materials – where Matteo Ragni works as art director. The shape of the dish came from the wave of the taste that, from the table, develops to the delicacy, what you leave last. An artwork that combines form and function, just as the original design concept was. As I value the material, the plate values the dish. I think Matteo is the real designer: this is the reason why I like his works. See the shape: there are both poetic – wave taste and practice, a tool to lift up the clean line that is a whole with the table. The shape combines functionality and art.

Nice idea! Yes, the dish was created for us by Matteo Ragni as a unique work that has been launched during Design Week 2010. Then, the idea evolved, enjoyed the customers for its creativity and today we’re organizing a charity dinner for Unicef: we’ll give the 50 “Boccone Divino” limited edition dishes all the customers will come in.

Suggest me the top 5 dishes to try! It’s difficult to say: many dishes are out of the menu because of our Food Art idea. Now, I’m very glad to suggest the Sicilian scampi flamed and served with almond culis of Biscay anchovy citrus and fennel salad with a creamy goat cheese or the cream lightened. This is a regional dish: I have discovered that regional pairings are the best to come out.It seems that the ingredients of a land they were born have to stay together. The same goes for wine. In fact, the best match for this dish is Planeta, a Sicilian wine. Another special dish is Black Venus risotto, crispy, served with a sauce of citrus and a north sea scallops blackened: a complete dish with ingredients that do not dominate but they embrace each another. Every plate is technically studied to get the best compared to what was the original recipe.

The dish not to miss? Now I would say the Paccheri or a marinated Black Code. This is a fish marinated two days in a cream derived from the processing of soybean pods and which goes added only a little ‘sugar and it’s seared in a pan and served baked. This is the representation of Umami, the embrace of all flavors – sweet,salty, bitter and spicy thanks to tears of chili. Academically and technically are perfect and balanced. But even with the Nighiri Sea anchovy Cantabrian – which is the best anchovies in the world –
is a perfect example of the fusion of worlds and combinations. With such a taste you can say goodbay to pools soy!

Interviewer: Paola Perfetti
Transleater: Giulia Perfetti

In Italian