There is tasty food and then there is food that transports you to the land it comes from. That is the kind of culinary experience Bengaluru’s foodies indulged in at the Tuscan pop-up held at Shangri-La Hotel featuring Michelin Guides rising stars from La Locanda Di Pietracupa, Chianti — Chefs Monica and Franca.
Dishing out food that paid homage to the rolling hills of Chianti, paired with Fratelli wines, Monica and Franca used local ingredients to recreate Tuscan cuisine.
On their first visit to India and Bengaluru, the two said they are, “Thrilled to be visiting this country that we have heard so much about. We were told that Bengaluru is a young and vibrant city with a wonderful climate and food. It surely lives up to its reputation.”
As she cooks, Monica says “The idea of preparing Tuscan recipes with local ingredients and seeing how they finally taste thrills me to bits.” Franca nods in agreement saying, “I had read about the high quality of lamb available in India, so I was very curious about the taste. We are happy with the response we have received.”
Personal touch
Monica and Franca say, “In San Donato, we have our own restaurant La Locanda di Pietracupa which is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. Our customers come to our restaurant because they enjoy our authentic Tuscan preparations with a modern twist amid the breath-taking views of the rolling hills.”
They continue: “We hope, like our guests back home, food lovers in Bengaluru who dined at Caprese during the pop-up were surprised with the twist in the flavours and became curious about our cuisine. We’re sure they could relate to the cuisine as Italian food is popular here, however after dining we’re sure they also understood that there are variations in regional Italian cuisine. Tuscan cuisine, in particular, is known for its Florentine steak and other meats.”
At the heart of their dishes, Monica explains, are mainly freshness and taste of the ingredients. “These two important factors are what we are very particular about. It is important to properly fuse both for a pleasant finished dish.” Franca carries on: “My husband, Luca often says, ‘for the wine to be good, the grapes need to be good too’. Similarly, quality and freshness of ingredients are key factors in making your dish complete.” Monica adds: “Choose the right mix of ingredients since the idea is as important as the ingredients.”
Down memory lane
Recalling how their journey into food began, Monica says it happened purely by chance. “My husband’s family has always been in the restaurant business and run a traditional Tuscan restaurant in downtown San Donato. The restaurant was run by my mother-in-law. I took over and it has been 25 years since I’m working there as a chef.”
“When Monica and Massimiliano proposed to me and my husband Luca (Monica’s brother) to open La Locanda di Pietracupa, we said ‘yes’ and that is how everything began. Now we run the restaurant together with our husbands.”
Since then, Monica says the journey has been “a never-ending learning experience.” Franca says she couldn’t agree more. “I never expected to visit India. It is amazing to see how food can take us places we would have never thought of going to.”
On the future of Italian food, Monica says, “The future lies in the past. It is important to preserve the authenticity of dishes. If you forget your roots then there is no future. The evolution of food, I believe, follows the same pattern as human beings, it changes, becomes mature and different, but the heart remains the same. Our aim is to try different dishes but keep the authenticity of the flavours intact.”
Franca says, “I am also attached to my roots and I believe cooking should experience new techniques, but they cannot be stretched to a point where a dish made in Tuscany and India taste the same. The ingredients may be similar but what matters is where you cook it.”