Italian Cuisine Asia Summit 2009: a great success. See you in Hong Kong again in 2010!
 Italian Cuisine Asia Summit: some of the chefs participating in the Industry workshop: "The Italian Cuisine in Asia: the next 20 years" It has been an unprecedented event and a great success. The Italian Cuisine Asia Summit, an impressive showcase of talents, flavours and products, has been on in Hong Kong from October 20th through 25th. Fifteen top Italian master chefs from Italy and from some major Asian cities, many of them Michelin-stared, hosted by the best Italian restaurants in town (see profiles here) prepared special lunches and dinners, run master cooking classes and hosted product tastings (see the program here). The Summit celebrated two decades of the arrival of Italian cuisine of excellence in Hong Kong and Asia. We now start to publish some news and pictures of the glorious moments of the Summit. More coverage will be added in the next few days including menus, recipes and some videos with interviews and step by step recipes as well. Photo galleries:
The Official Video
Media Coverage
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Ten top restaurants involved, thirty five chefs at work, dozens of dishes and thousands of pleased customers: the Summit has been a festival of flavours, as well as a moment to learn something new about Italian cuisine and wine. Here the photo galleries with some of the memorable moments of this celebration. Picture left: Giacomo Gallina, Executive Chef of Dolce & Gabbana Gold Restaurant, Milan, & Master guest chef at Sabatini Restaurant.
The Grissini restaurant played a special role during the Summit, since it was celebration of its 20th birthday as well. The Opening Gala of the Summit was hosted there, on October 20th, with a dinner cooked by three former chefs who joined Marco Torre, the current chef. Among them was Gabriele Colombo, the chef who opened the Grissini in 1989. For the occasion he cooked one of the most sought after dishes of that time, the roasted Guinea fowl filled with sausage, hazelnut and green apple, celery root cake, green beans, Passito wine and pomegranate jus. The nigh after, one of most famous Italian contemporary chefs, Massimo Bottura – accompanied by his two assistants Davide Di Fabio and Enrico Vignoli, cooked an exciting dinner deeply intertwined with quality ingredients he brought specialy from Italy, more specifically, from his own region: Emilia Romagna.
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR SPECIAL SECCTION ON MASSIMO BOTTURA FEATURING HIS SPECIAL DINNER AT GRISSINI
An Osteria is a very typical concept of Italian Restaurant. Italian Cuisine is rooted in these kinds of places: often family run, inexpensive, with a short menu based on what is seasonal, bulk homemade wine, osterias were also the town´s meeting points in small communities. For the Summit, Guest Master Chef Vincenzo Pezzilli prepared a menu based on traditional dishes of Roman osterias.
During the Summit´s Gala Night at Grissini restaurant four distinguished individuals, who gave a key contribution to the spread and preservation of authentic and quality Italian Cuisine in Hong Kong and Asia in the last twenty years, received the Italian Cuisine Asia Summit awards. They were Mr Peter Lam, a renowned movie producer and prominent Hong Kong businessman, for his love of Italian food, wine and lifestyle. Mr Lam owned and still owes various hospitality establishments in which Italian Cuisine plays a prominent role. The other Awards went to: 1. Chef Umberto Bombana, a legendary figure in Hong Kong, known for his long tenure of the Toscana Restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and for his relentless mission to educate the Asian palate to quality Italian cuisine and ingredients, and truffles in particular; 2. Chef Gabriele Colombo, who opened the Grissini restaurant in 1989 and contributed to change the history of Italian Cuisine abroad; 3. Mr Pino Piano, currently one of the Directors of the Gaia Group of Restaurants, who 18 years ago opened Va bene, the first quality Italian Restaurant outside a Hotel. Since then Pino has become the symbol of Italian style and elegance in the Management of a Restaurant.
Guest Master Chef Massimo Bottura, one the most talented contemporary chefs in Italy, has been highly inspiring. He cooked an unforgetable dinner at Grissini restaurant, run a passionate Master cooking class and encouraged the chefs at the Summit, as well as all those who work abroad, to pursue relentlessly authentic and quality Italian ingredients. In Hong Kong Bottura became a good friend of the gifted and controversial “demon-chef” Alvin Leung, of Bo Innovation Restaurant.
“They have been wonderful and we thank them very much”, said Rosario Scarpato, Italian Cuisine Asia Summit´s director, talking about the thousands of Hong Kong people who enthusiastically patronized the restaurants promoting the Summit from October 20th to 25th. Together with Paolo Monti, Executive Chef of Gaia Restaurant and Culinary Supervisor of the Summit, and Rio de Janeiro based Elena Ruocco, coordinator of the culinary operation, Rosario Scarpato thanked also the hosting and guest chefs and the sponsors and supporters. Here a galery of different classes and events in which the people of HK took part and there has been a lot of fun as well!
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www.itchefs-gvci.com/asiasummit
Published by Food and Travel Communications (Australia)
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Italian Cuisine Asia Summit Director: Rosario Scarpato |
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Culinary Supervisor: Paolo Monti, executive chef Gaia restaurant – Hong Kong |
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Culinary operations Co-ordinator: Elena Ruocco |
An impressive showcase of talents, flavours and products, is scheduled to start on 20th October, for the Italian Cuisine Asia Summit. Fifteen top Italian master chefs from Italy and from some major Asian cities, many of them Michelin-starred, will be hosted by the best Italian restaurants in town. They will prepare special lunches and dinners, run master cooking classes and host product tastings. (click here for the complete program) “It’s something unprecedented for Hong Kong,” says Paolo Monti, executive chef at Gaia Ristorante, one of the event promoters. The Summit celebrates two decades of the arrival of Italian cuisine of excellence in Hong Kong and Asia. Twenty years ago, the first high quality Italian Restaurant opened in Hong Kong, the Grissini, in the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Wan Chai. It was the beginning of an era for the whole of Asia, where soon qualified Italian chefs began to arrive along with the best of Italian products. Since then, Italian cuisine has become the most beloved cuisine in Asia only after the local ones, and Hong Kong the gateway for quality foodstuffs and wines coming from Italy. The Italian Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia, issued a declaration praising the Summit organizers and said: “My wish is that the Summit stimulates the interest of Asian consumers for our food and the places where we produce it”
Among the talented master chefs coming to Hong Kong will be the trendsetter Massimo Bottura, guest master chef at Grissini Restaurant (Grand Hyatt Hotel), likely the most relevant figure in the new generation of Italian Chefs: Bottura’s restaurant, La Francescana, in Modena, Emilia Romagna, Italy, not far from Ferrari's headquarters, is the first Italian one in the World’s Best 50 Restaurants at number 13. Bottura boasts two Michelin stars too, as do another Italian guest master chefs to the Summit: Marco Sacco of Piccolo Lago (Mergozzo, Piedmont, Italy) who will be guest master chef at Va Bene Restaurant. Furthermore, Michelin-starred chefs Giovanni Grasso of La Credenza (Turin, Piedmont Italy) will be at Gaia Restaurant while Ivan Musoni of Ca Vegia (Pavia, Lombardy) will be guest master chef at Angelini Restaurant in the Shangri La Hotel. Some other very prestigious chefs to participate in the Summit include Giacomo Gallina (Dolce&Gabbana’s Gold, Milan, Lombardy), who during his career has left his valuable mark around the world and will be guest master chef at Sabatini in the Royal Garden Hotel, Antonio De Rosa and Domenico Maggi, both bringing to Hong Kong the distinctive flavours of the Puglia, the Southern Italian region famous for its wines, olive oils and many other delicious typical products.
From other Asian countries will come two talented former chefs of the Grissini Restaurant, Mario Caramella (Bali, Indonesia) and Gabriele Colombo (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands), who will be joined by Marco Avitabile, director of culinary operations for Hyatt Hotels in Asia, and Marco Torre, to prepare the Summit Gala Dinner at Grissini, Grand Hyatt Hotel. During the Dinner the Italian Cuisine Asia Summit will award those personalities who have made a significant contribution to the appreciation of quality and authentic Italian Cuisine, food, wine, and lifestyle in Hong Hong and Asia in the last twenty years. Among them there will be Mr Peter Lam, the chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Films.
Other great Italian chefs will be in Hong Kong for the Summit, including Gianni Favro, chef patron of Gianni´s Restaurant in Bangkok (Thailand), Andrea Tranchero, executive chef of Ristorante Armani, Tokyo (Japan), and Vincenzo Pezzilli, executive chef of Piazza Italia, Beijing (China), who will be guest master chefs respectively at Joia, Spasso Restaurant and Osteria in the Golden Mile Hotel. Among the chefs coming to Hong Kong there will be Matteo Scibilia as well, of Osteria della Buona Condotta (Ornago, Milan, Lombardy), counsellor of the Italian minister of culture for all the issues related to Italian cuisine, who will cook on October 21 at The Mistral Restaurant.
Resstaurant. The summit is organized by itchefs-gvci.com. GVCI (Virtual Group of Italian Chefs) is the most vital of all the associations of chefs and culinary professionals working for Italian cuisine and wine abroad. GVCI President, Mario Caramella, who worked in Hong Kong for a long time, was among the pioneers of quality Italian cuisine in Asia and will be one of the protagonists of the Summit.
Take a look at the ICAS's Banner.
| DINNER | SUMMIT OPENING GALA DINNER GRISSINI RESTAURANT- Grand Hyatt Hotel Chefs: Marco Avitabile Mario Caramella Gabriele Colombo Marco Torre Italian Cuisine Asia Summit Awards |
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| 10.00 - 12.00 | MASTER CLASS Master Chef Marco Sacco - Red rapa rice, steamed mussels with peperoncino oil - Foie gras scallop, babà, lavender ice cream and coca cola concentrate Towngas Cooking Centre Basement, Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay ph: 2576 1535 ($ 180) |
| LUNCH | FLAVOURS OF PUGLIA GAIA ISOLA (with Guest Master Chef Antonio De Rosa) SABATINI JOIA VA BENE |
| 16.30 |
ITALIAN CUISINE IN ASIA: THE NEXT 20 YEARS Cocktail Industry Workshop and Presentation of Typically Puglia JOIA CAFÉ RESTAURANT |
| DINNER | GUEST MASTER CHEFS AT: ANGELINI (Ivan Musoni) GAIA (Giovanni Grasso) GRISSINI (Massimo Bottura) ISOLA (Flavours of Puglia – Antonio De Rosa) MISTRAL (Matteo Scibilia) SPASSO (Andrea Tranchero) OSTERIA (Vicenzo Pezzilli) SABATINI (Giacomo Gallina) VA BENE (Marco Sacco) JOIA (Gianni Favro) |
| 22.30 | THE LATE NIGHT WINE TASTINGS For F&B Operators- Guest Sommelier Daniele Cirsone presents Wines from Puglia ISOLA |
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| 10.30 - 12.30 | THE BEST OF LA VITA È DOLCEPastry Workshop with Guest Master Chef Andrea Tranchero and Vero Chocolate´s Master Chocolatier Chef Koo "Torta Caprese" VERO 1/F Fenwick Pier, 1 Lung King Street, Wanchai ph: +852 2559 5882 |
| LUNCH | FLAVOURS OF PUGLIA ISOLA SABATINI JOIA (with Guest Master Chef Antonio De Rosa) VA BENE |
| 14.30- 16.30 |
THE BEST OF LA VITA È DOLCEPastry Workshop with Guest Master Chef Vincenzo Pezzilli and Vero Chocolate´s Master Chocolatier Chef Koo "Orange Semifreddo" VERO 1/F Fenwick Pier, 1 Lung King Street, Wanchai ph: +852 2559 5882 |
| 15.00 - 17.00 | Delicious, easy and healthy dishes from Puglia Master Chef Mino Maggi - Cream of white bean and cauliflower with sautéed cavatellini, shellfish and extra virgin olive oil - Bread and vegetable soup - Mackerel fillets with sautéed wheat and vegetables, Spanish onion sauce and grilled tomatoes Citysuper Harbour City Store Harbour City Level 3 Tsim Sha Tsui Tel: 852-2375-8222 |
| DINNER | GUEST MASTER CHEFS AT: ANGELINI (Ivan Musoni) GAIA (Giovanni Grasso) ISOLA (Flavours of Puglia with Mino Maggi) MISTRAL (Mario Caramella) SPASSO (Andrea Tranchero) OSTERIA (Vicenzo Pezzilli) SABATINI (Giacomo Gallina) VA BENE (Marco Sacco) JOIA (Gianni Favro) |
| 22.30 | THE LATE NIGHT WINE TASTINGS For F&B Operators- Guest Sommelier Daniele Cirsone presents Wines from Puglia GAIA |
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| 10.00 - 12.00 | MASTER CLASS Master Chef Massimo Bottura - Spatial Concept: Tribute to Lucio Fontana: All languages of the World - The shape of the Thai soup: burrata curdle, tomoatoes from “Piennolo”, chillies from Matera, eggplants from Sicilia, Cetara anchovies, lemons from Sorrento - Five different aged Parmigiano Reggiano textures and temperatures Towngas Cooking Centre Basement, Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay ph: 2576 1535 ($350) |
| 10.30 | ASIA AND THE ESPRESSO CULTUREWorkshop with Summit Guest Master Chefs, including Giovanni Grasso, Andrea Tranchero and others. With the participation of Ilija Naumovski, Grand Chief Barista of the Segafredo Zanetti Group. SEGAFREDO ZANETTI ESPRESSO BAR The Loop - 33 Wellington Street Central - Hong Kong Tel: +852 2523 2821 |
| LUNCH | FLAVOURS OF PUGLIA GAIA ISOLA SABATINI (with Mino Maggi) JOIA VA BENE ________________ SPASSO (Lino Sauro) |
| 15.00 - 16.30 |
MASTER CLASS Master Chef Mino Maggi - Pasta marinata with French beans, cacio ricotta cheese and baked tomatoes sauce - Rice, potatoes and mussels casserole Towngas Cooking Centre Basement, Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay ph: 2576 1535 ($180) |
| 14.30 - 16.30 | THE BEST OF LA VITA È DOLCEPastry Demonstration with Guest Master Chef Vincenzo Pezzilli ("Orange Semifreddo"), and Vero Chocolate´s Master Chocolatier Chef Koo. Cocktail, tasting Rosolio from Puglia and Spumante from Asti. VERO 1/F Fenwick Pier, 1 Lung King Street, Wanchai ph: +852 2559 5882 |
| DINNER | GUEST MASTER CHEFS AT: ANGELINI (Ivan Musoni) GAIA (Giovanni Grasso) ISOLA (Flavours of Puglia) MISTRAL (Flavours of Puglia with Antonio De Rosa) OSTERIA (Vicenzo Pezzilli) SABATINI (Giacomo Gallina) VA BENE: TRUFFLES AND STARS (Marco Sacco) JOIA (Gianni Favro) SPASSO |
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| 10.00 - 12.00 | MASTER CLASS - Hands On Master Chef Antonio De Rosa - Cream of white bean and cauliflower with sautéed cavatelli pasta, shellfish and extra virgin olive oil - Scalloped lamb sautéed with capocollo di Martina Franca Towngas Cooking Centre Basement, Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay ph: 2576 1535 ($400) |
| LUNCH | FLAVOURS OF PUGLIA GAIA ISOLA SABATINI VA BENE ________________ SPASSO (Lino Sauro) |
| DINNER | GUEST MASTER CHEFS AT: ANGELINI (Ivan Musoni) GAIA (Giovanni Grasso) ISOLA (Delegazione Puglia) MISTRAL SPASSO (Flavours of Puglia with Mino Maggi) OSTERIA (Flavours of Puglia with Antonio De Rosa) SABATINI (Giacomo Gallina) JOIA (Gianni Favro) |
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 Ca Vegia, Pavia Holding a Michelin star since 2003, Ivan Musoni is member of the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe and talks about recipes in terms of marketing and à la page revisions. His Restaurant, Ca vegia, is in Salice Terme, in the province of Pavia or better in the heart of the Oltrepò which many borders have made a natural crossroads of influences. The dialogue is among four regions, Emilia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria. Ivan considers himself an ambassador of the made-in-Oltrepò. |
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| Kowloon Shangri-La 64 Mody Road Tsim Sha Tsui East Ph: +852 2721 2111 Web |
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| VITTORIO LUCARIELLO He started his culinary career at the age of 14. With over 20 years of culinary experience in Italy, the US and the widely known Grissini Restaurant in the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong, Chef Vittorio arrived at Angelini in 2007 in the Shangri La Hotel, in Kowloon where he brings a fresh approach to all the different regional fare found within Italian cuisine, combining authentic ingredients with traditional techniques. He is a firm believer in cooking using the freshest ingredients, without heavy sauces but with an emphasis on maintaining the natural flavours of the ingredients which emphasizes light and healthy Italian food. Take a look at the Angelini's poster. |
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 La Credenza, San Maurizio Canavese, Turin Staying innovative, growing to a level of true quality, remaining a reference point of the haute cuisine of a city – Turin – and of Italy and doing it constantly for more than fifteen years is no mean undertaking. La Credenza, a project that he undertakes with business partner Igor Macchia, obtained a Michelin star in 2008, the latest of a series of prestigious national and international awards. |
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| G/F The Piazza Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen's Road Central Ph: 852/2167 8200 Web |
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| PAOLO MONTI Chef Monti heads the kitchen at Gaia with a fresh and thoroughly modern style of Italian cooking. A native of Rome –the source of his classical training and experience— Paolo has worked at some of The Eternal City’s most renowned restaurants, including Alberto Ciarla, the famous seafood venue; the Michelin-star Eden Hotel; and Checco ar 13 ‘mo, one of the oldest trattorias in Rome. Paolo also draws on seven years of experience with a number of leading Los Angeles restaurants, notably as sous chef to the legendary Mauro Vincenti at the famous REX il Ristorante, Louise’s Trattoria and the Alto Palato Trattoria, ranked among the Top 10 restaurants in LA. Not surprisingly considering his influences, Paolo’s cooking style combines authentic Italian with health-conscious Californian – creating a high quality, lighter Italian cuisine which is so popular today. Take a look at the Gaia's poster. |
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 Osteria Francescana, Modena |
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| Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Hotel 1 Harbour Rd Ph: 852/2584 7722 Web |
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| MARCO TORRE Chef de Cuisine at the emblematic Grissini restaurant where he applies his philosophy of the high standard and authenticity of the Italian cuisine and recipe. He started working during weekends as a teenager in the Michelin-star restaurant Paolo and Barbar. Later on he moved to other Michelin-star restaurants such as Locanda Arnolfo, Cala di Volpe, Antica Osteria del Ponte and Hotel Vila del Sogn. Now at Grissini he continues to offer the original taste of italian cuisine with a personal interpretation, with the freshest ingredients presented in an authentic yet simple manner. |
A key figure among a new generation of Italian chefs, Massimo Bottura draws a fine line between tradition and innovation at his two star Michelin restaurant “Osteria Francescana” in the heart of Modena’s historic centre. He describes his cuisine as ‘Territorial Cuisine seen from a distance of ten kilometres…’ Bottura juxtaposes his deep respect for Italian traditions to a healthy dose of adolescent irreverence. In 2009 he has been the best Italian Restaurant in the 50 Best world Restaurants (number 13). Chef Bottura will be teaching a MASTER CLASS at Towngas Cooking Centre on October 23rd. For more information please check our PROGRAM.  Bali Hyatt Sanur Hotel, Indonesia Executive Chef of Bali Sanur Hyatt Hotel (Indonesia). He has been a forerunner of genuine quality Italian Cuisine in Asia since his years as chef of Mistral and Grissini in Hong Kong, after which he worked in Australia and Thailand. Currently is the President of GVCI (Gruppo Virtuale Cuochi Italiani - Virtual Group of Italian Chefs).  Hyatt Hotel, Saipan Executive Chef at Hyatt Hotel, Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands. Gabriele was the chef who opened the Grissini Restaurant and he had worked with great Italian Chefs such as Gualtiero Marchesi and Ezio Santin.  Director of Culinary operations, Hyatt International - Asia - Pacific He worked in Italy and in many other countries, including the UK were he worked in the kitchen of Michel Roux's The Waterside Inn, west of London. He is responsible for food and beverage operations in about 50 properties, planning and implementing strategies with the teams in each hotel. Director of Culinary Operations for the Hyatt Hotels in Asia, Marco has been chef at the Grissini Restaurant and Executive Chef of Hong Kong Grand Hyatt Hotel. |
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 Sapori di Puglia, Bari Executive Chef at the Hotel Villa Romanazzi Carducci in Bari, Italy and represents “Sapori di Puglia” at the Summit. Always eager to put his creativity into practice, Antonio De Rosa has remained faithful to his home territory, Puglia, by including its traditions in his work. He has published books on Apulian Cuisine and Mediterranean diet and has travelled extensively.  Sapori di Puglia, Bari Experienced Master Chef Domenico Maggi represents “Sapori di Puglia” at the Summit. Lecturer at the catering college in Bari, he owns with his wife Carole the ‘Truddhi’, a holiday complex created by restoring the family farm. “Mino” is recognized as an ambassador of traditional Apulian cooking and has travelled all over the world promoting Apulian and Italian cuisine. |
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| Level 3, IFC Hall Central Ph: 852/2383 8765 Web |
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| GIANDOMENICO CAPRIOLI One of Italy’s most renowned family chefs, Giandomenico (Gianni) Caprioli, heads the kitchen at the Gaia Group’s ISOLA bar+grill where his menu is simple and rustic, showcasing freshest and best quality produce – or as he puts it, “common ingredients cooked uncommonly well”. Born into a family of cooks in Potenza, Gianni trained at a hotel school and started his career in his brother’s restaurant. Then he developed his skills in homemade pastas and Romagna-style (Romagnola) cooking in San Marino. He worked under Italian master chef Gino Angelini at the Grand Hotel des Bains in Riccione, in the US as a consultant for the famous Rex group of restaurants, as a chef at the Ristorante Azzurra, with another of Italy’s most revered and innovative chefs, Gianfranco Vissani. In 2000 he left for Los Angeles for the opening of the famous Osteria Angelini. It was here that his skills came to the attention of the Agnelli family – who hired him as their personal chef. Take a look at the Isola's poster. |
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 Gianni’s Restaurant, Bangkok, Thailand Gianni Favro, a talented chef and wine expert born in Pordenone, in the Northern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, built his culinary reputation on 3 principles: Mediterranean style (which means culinary traditions of Italy freely interpreted by Gianni), modernity and top quality raw ingredients. Gianni has an extensive experience as an Italian Chef in Thailand, previously he had worked in Hong Kong, Germany and, of course, in Italy at Sardegna, Costa Smeralda- Campiglio. Since 1996 Gianni’s has been an outpost of quality Italian cuisine in Thailand. |
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| R010, Level 3, 2061A, Level 2 Elements Mall 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon Ph: 852/2382 2323 Web |
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| ALESSANDRO ANGELINI Grounded in classic Italian cuisine and with a passion for authenticity, Joia´s Executive Chef Alessandro Angelini is no stranger to acclaimed Italian restaurants. Chef Angelini’s seventeen years in the industry have seen him criss cross the globe honing his skills in an A list of restaurants in Venice, London and Los Angeles – where he frequently cooked for many of Hollywood’s biggest celebrity names. Now at Joia, where he arrived from working in Jakarta’s ‘sexylicious’ Italian restaurant ‘Rosso’, his menus reflect the combination of innovation and authenticity. Take a look at the Joia's poster. |
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 Osteria della Buona Condotta, Omago - Milano Chef Patron of Osteria della Buona Condotta, in Omago, in the province of Milan (Lombardia), a specialist of Risotto and regional cuisine of Lombardia, Matteo has been recently officially nominated as Advisor of the Italian Minister of Culture Sandro Bondi. Without abandoning his daily occupation, Matteo works to protect the Italian Cuisine identity in Italy and abroad. |
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| InterContinental Grand Stanford 70 Mody Road Basement 2, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon Ph: 852/2731 2870 Web |
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| CLAUDIO DIELI Specialist in Mediterranean modern fine dining kitchen, international, traditional and regional with an understanding of Chinese culture and kitchen. Currently Executive Sous Chef at the Mistral (Italian restaurant at Intercontinental Grand Stanford Hotel, featured in the first edition of the Michelin guide of Hong Kong 2008) where he´s worked since 2007. Claudio Dieli joined the Mistral from the Four Seasons where he held positions as Chef de Cuisine in Cairo, Egypt and Amman, Jordan. Prior to that Claudio enjoyed a sous chef position at the renowned Segreto in Dubai and was pre-opening head chef at Iniga Restaurant and Cocktail Bar in London. Claudio was trained at the Giovanni Falcone Hotel and Catering School, the Stage at the President Park Hotel and Stage at the Hotel Touring in Sicily, Italy. Take a look at the Mistral's poster. |
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 Piazza Italia, Beijing, China He began cooking in a restaurant’s kitchen of his native Rome when he was still a kid. Very soon cooking became his passion and he got his formal training at the Roman outpost of Le Cordon Bleu. He has worked in Washington DC, Rome, Belgium under Chef Pierre Wynants and as executive chef of Mad 28 in New York City, where he became a star of the local culinary scene. He has also perfected his craft with Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France. Vincenzo has always created exciting Italian dishes, updating them with twists inspired by his interest in the history of food, as well as his travels and experiences. Chef Pezzilli will be teaching a PASTRY WORKSHOP at VERO on October 22nd and a PASTRY DEMONSTRATION on the 23rd. For more information please check our PROGRAM.  |
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| Mezzanine Holiday Inn Golden Mile 50 Nathan Road Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Ph: 2315 1010 |
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| MICHELE CAMOLEI Born in La Spezia, Italy. Michele worked all over the world. In 2005, joined the prestigious two-Michelin starred Ristorante Sadler in Tokyo as Chef de Partie under the tutelage of Claudio Sadler. But it was in 2007 at Restaurant Sant Pau when his culinary skills helped earn the Tokyo branch two coveted Michelin stars. Last year, Camolei participated in the Tokyo Armani Ristorante opening. Now as Head Chef of Osteria Ristorante Italiano, Camolei believes his worldly experiences have helped him appreciate cultural diversity and tradition, and remains very interested in developing new recipes and techniques. “It is important to understand modern food trends, while remaining respectful to Italian traditions.” Take a look at the Osteria's poster. |
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 Gold - Dolce & Gabbana, Milan Giacomo Gallina is executive chef at the ultra-trendy Gold restaurant by Dolce & Gabbana in Milan (Italy). Since graduating with a Scuola Alberghiera G Pastore Varallo Sesia (VC) Diploma in 1970 Giacomo has left his mark around the world since he worked in top restaurants in South Africa, France, in the US and Singapore. He has been highly regarded Master for dozens of Italian Chefs now working around the world. Besides managing Gold, Giacomo is also the consultant chef and food designer for many culinary establishments in Italy and is GVCI Vice President.  Gold - Dolce & Gabbana, Milan General Manager of Dolce & Gabbana GOLD Restaurant in Milano (Italy), Matteo is a brilliant example of top Restaurant Management in a inimitable modern Italian Style. After a Bachelor of Arts (Tourism Management) Matteo worked as a Manager of prestigious restaurants out of Italy (Cipriani, Harry Cipriani and Ciprinani Dolci in New York). He returned to Italy to be the Restaurant supervisor of Bulgari Hotels and Restaurants in Milan, he then was Manager at the Armani Restaurant in Hong Kong. Starting in September 2006 he began his association with Dolce&Gabbana GOLD Restaurant in Milan where he is now General Manager. |
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| Royal Garden Hotel 69 Mody Rd Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon Ph: 852/2733 2000 Web |
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| LUCA SIGNORETTI Chef at the renowned fine-dining restaurant, Sabatini Ristorante Italiano at The Royal Garden. Before joining Sabatini, Chef Luca was Italian Sous Chef at the world-renowned and award-winning BiCE Italian Restaurant of the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Hotel & Resort (counterparts with Gordon Ramsay’s Verre at the Hilton Dubai Creek) for three years, where the young talented chef broadened his cooking repertoire by creating contemporary Italian cuisine with Mediterranean-style ingredients and cooking methods. Chef Luca’s passion for food and never ending search for new flavours and techniques has taken him around the world. His travel and culinary experiences are now reflected in the dining experience at Sabatini, where diners will find the best Italian cuisine with the finest ingredients. Take a look at the Sabatini's poster. |
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 Armani Ristorante, Tokyo, Japan |
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| Shop 403, Level 4, Ocean Center Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui Ph:+852 2730 8027 Web |
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| MICHELE SENIGAGLIA has been enthralled in the kitchen since the tender age of 14, where he took up an apprenticeship in his native Venice at one of the city’s most prestigious restaurants, Haig’s Grill. Since then he has worked in Europe (Brussels and Lyon), the Middle East (sultanate of Oman), and South America (Guyana) and more recently in Asia (Singapore and Hong Kong), carving himself a formidable reputation as a leading authority on Italian cooking. In his role in DiVino, he relishes the opportunity to introduce some new and exciting concepts to Hong Kong – many of them a result of wide international exposure. Take a look at the Spasso's poster. |
He represents the new generation of talented Italian chefs who have changed the history of Italian cuisine abroad, particularly in Asia. He is one of the faces of quality Italian cuisine in the Japanese capital city where he has worked in various deservingly well-reputed establishments. But Andrea has also enjoyed successful experiences in other great gastronomy capitals of the world such as Los Angeles and Paris. In Italy he has worked in various Michelin starred restaurants such as Al Sorriso of Soriso, Novara, Baia Benjamin in Ventimiglia, Imperia and the Sadler in Milan. Chef Tranchero will be teaching a PASTRY WORKSHOP at VERO on October 22nd. For more information please check our PROGRAM.  Gattopardo, Singapore He likes to be defined a “self-taught” chef. Lino Sauro leads the kitchen of Gattopardo, his own restaurant opened in partnership with Garibaldi Group. Located at the boutique hotel The Legends at Fort Canning, there he presents an innovative menu featuring authentic South Italian and Mediterranean cuisine using the freshest top quality ingredients prepared with minimum fuss. Chef Lino possesses a refreshingly creative take on Italian cuisine and is no doubt excited about putting his culinary experiences to good use to bring the best of South Italian Cuisine to Singaporeans with lots of Sicilian sizzle! |
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 Piccolo Lago, Mergozzo Marco is the experienced Chef of Piccolo Lago in Mergozzo, in the province of Verbania (Piedmonte Region). He runs this two star Michelin elegant restaurant elegant with his brother Carlo. Marco believes that tradition and experimentation can work together if they are combined judiciously. Marco’s cuisine is innovative but based on the ingredients available locally such as fish, eels and other marine creatures from the small lake (piccolo lago) close to the restaurant. Chef Sacco will be teaching a MASTER CLASS at Towngas Cooking Centre on October 21st. For more information please check our PROGRAM |
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| 17-22 Lan Kwai Fong Central Ph: 852/2845 5577 Web |
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| PAOLO FEDERICI With his strong sense of enthusiasm and passion for traditional Italian cuisine, Chef Paolo Federici knew immediately on his first visit to dynamic food-loving city, Hong Kong, that it was a place he we wanted to be a part of. And since his appointment in 2007 as Executive Chef of Va Bene, Lan Kwai Fong’s longest established Italian trattoria, his experience has only served to reinforce his commitment of offering genuine, authentic Italian food. Born in the Northern Italian region of Lombardy, the 26-year-old trained in his home region from where he was awarded a ’Caterina De’ Medici’ Degree from Gardone Riviera Management School before taking the opportunity to develop his talents in renowned restaurants across Italy. From the smart Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio to the world renowned five-star Grand Hotel Villa Feltrinelli on the shores of Lake Garda, Paolo’s career has seen him work alongside several notable Chefs include the six-star Michelin Chef Alaine Ducasse’s protégé, Chef Stefano Baiocco. Take a look at the Va Bene's poster. |
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 Executive Sous Chef, MGM Hotel, Macau Samuele has been Chef de Cuisine of the Grand Hyatt Beijing and has worked in California, U.S.A. as Sous Chef at Cielo, Los Angeles and other restaurants in the same city and Santa Monica as well. |
ANTONIO DE ROSA |
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| Chef Antonio de Rosa will be cooking in the "Flavours of Puglia" Event (lunch) and is Guest Master Chef (dinner) at Isola Restaurant on October 21st. He will participate in the "Flavours of Puglia" Event (lunch) at Joia Restaurant on October 22nd. He is Guest Master Chef (dinner) at The Mistral on October 23rd. On the 24th he will teach a Master Class at Towngas Cooking Centre and at dinner time is Guest Master Chef at Osteria Ristorante Italiano. |
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DOMENICO MAGGI |
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| Chef Mino Maggi will be teaching a class on Puglia´s delicious dishes at City Super (afternoon- 15.00) and is Guest Master Chef (dinner) at Isola Restaurant on October 22nd. He will participate in the "Flavours of Puglia" Event (lunch) at Sabatini Restaurant on October 23rd and on the afternoon (15.00) he will be teaching a Master Class at Towngas Cookin Centre. On October 24th he is Guest Master Chef (dinner) at Spasso Restaurant. Take a look at the Flavours of Puglia's poster. |
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Segafredo Zanetti Espresso BarThe Loop - 33 Wellington Street |
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Segafredo Zanetti Espresso Bar71-77 Wing Lok Street |
To check the locations of our shops please log on to: http://dolci.hk/eng/locations/index.html
Twenty years ago, the first high quality Italian Restaurant opened in Hong Kong, the Grissini, in the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Wan Chai. Not by chance, the name was suggested by one of the most prestigious Italian winemakers, Angelo Gaja; and the first chef, Gabriele Colombo had worked with great Italian Chefs such as Gualtiero Marchesi and Ezio Santin.
It was the beginning of an era, not only for Hong Kong but for all of Asia, where soon qualified Italian Chefs began to arrive along with the best of Italian products. For the first time in the world, Italian Cuisine was not travelling only with migrants but with qualified professionals. Quality Italian restaurants, opened by the dozens in every Asian capital, many in luxury hotels. In Hong Kong, they soon spread also outside of the hotels; after Grissini, and then Toscana (in the Ritz Carlton Hotel), Mistral (today Grand Stamford), Angelini (Shangri La), Sabatini (Royal Garden), and others, opened Va Bene, a creation of Pino Piano, a forerunner of the quality Italian cuisine in town. Since then, Italian cuisine has become the most beloved cuisine in Asia, after the local ones.
The Asia Summit is a celebration of the achievements of Italian cuisine in Hong Kong, and in Asia in general, in the past 20 years. It’s an unprecedented showcase of talents, flavours and products and, over all, an overdue acknowledgement of the fact that in cities like Hong Kong, as well as the other Asian cities, there are chefs, restaurants and professionals of the same level of the best in Italy. For the lovers of authentic Italian food and wine the future in Asia cannot look better.
It’s not by chance, then, that this summit is organized by itchefs.gvci.com, GVCI (Virtual Group of Italian Chefs) being the most vital of all the associations of chefs and culinary professional working for Italian cuisine and wine abroad. GVCI President, Mario Caramella, who worked in Hong Kong for a long time, was among the pioneers of quality Italian cuisine in Asia and will be one of the protagonists of the Summit.
The success of Italian Cuisine in Hong and Asia wouldn´t have been possible without the work of women and men who put passion and competence in their profession. One of them is for sure Pino Piano, co-owner and Manager of Gaia Ristorante, in Grand Millennium Plaza on Queen’s Road Central and Director of the same group that owns and operates 6 Italian restaurants in Hong Kong and China. Pino Piano, who is today a well known personality on the local dining and social scene, has been involved in the restaurant business for as long as he can remember. His grandmother was a chef in Naples and he literally grew up in her kitchen, surrounded by her recipes and sound advice on how to run a good restaurant. It never occurred to him to pursue another career. So, he took a course in hotel management in Switzerland from where he headed for London (Terence Conran’s Neal Street restaurant and Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge). After a number of years he moved to New York and worked as a chef at the famous Rainbow Room. He arrived in Hong Kong to take up his role as Maitre d’hotel of the stylish Va Bene Italian restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong where he thought he would stay only for a few months: he worked there instead for over 8 years. Va Bene was possibly the first quality Italian restaurant in town that wasn´t in a luxury hotel. Besides his competence and professionalism, Pino became famous for his style: in the impeccably-cut designer suits he personally welcomed diners, guided them with consummate ease around the restaurant’s menu and exclusive Italian wine list.
 Gaia Ristorante |
 Paolo Monti |
Under Pino’s savvy direction, Va Bene became (and still is) one of Hong Kong’s most popular and successful restaurants, setting a new trend for top class independent establishments in a city, which had previously been dominated by hotel dining rooms. In 2000 he left Va Bene to pursue his own business. With Gaia Ristorante, Piano found himself one of the owners as well as the operator of Central’s first truly glamorous Italian. Pino was involved in the design and concept of the restaurant as well as the development of its menu (together with Executive Chef, Italian Paolo Monti) and wine cellar. Pino emphasizes that most of the ingredients used at Gaia are imported to ensure absolute authenticity and consistent quality.
Pino has also been involved the development of Isola bar + grill and Cafe Costa in the ifc mall, a spectacular two storey Italian restaurant and bar, by now a landmark in Hong Kong’s most stylish and sophisticated new shopping and lifestyle destination.
 Isola bar + grill |
 Cafe Costa |
The Gaia Group which also has restaurants in Shanghai and Hangzhou in China represents the interests of director and general manager, Pino Piano and a group of Hong Kong investors who share the same vision of creating top quality, distinctive dining experiences for discerning diners.
The Hong Kong based Gaia Group owns and operates the following restaurants in Hong Kong and China:
Va Bene Hong Kong – a Lan Kwai Fong institution Tel. (852) 2845-5577
Gaia – glamorous al fresco dining on Hong Kong’s own Italian piazza Tel. (852) 2167-8200
ISOLA bar + grill – spectacular harbourside dining at Hong Kong’s new Central waterfront
Tel. (852) 2383-8765
Cafe Costa – ultra chic cafe with indoor and outdoor dining at ifc mall Tel. 2118- 7600
Joia – contemporary Northern Italian dining at Kowloon’s newest destination mall, Elements
Tel: (852) 2382-2323
Va Bene Shanghai – voted Shanghai’s ‘Best Restaurant’ Tel. (86) 21-6311-2211
Va Bene Hangzhou – idyllic Italian dining on the famous West Lake Tel. (86) 571-8702-6333
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