Paolo Lopriore is the chef with the most talent and culinary artistic dedication in Italy today. This daring proposal, cultivating the purity of nature in an exceptional, even unique way, is a result of his lucid and professional approach. The real brilliance is in the idea itself, the selection of ingredients, the purity that is expressed and the lack of western seasoning, particularly Italian, wholly without either oil or vinegar. Such historic, noble ingredients are substituted with intense aromas expressed with great subtlety: ginger, wasabi, mustard… bringing light and color to an otherwise strictly green composition.

Often the most simple things can be the most extraordinary. That is certainly the case with this recipe, intellectualizing a traditional dish in keeping with the set of values of contemporary haute cuisine. A superb baby squid risotto, academically prepared, covered by a carpaccio made from the same cephalopod, or of normal squid, strengthening the dish with its raw nature, beautifying the plate, accompanied by a few ribbons of squid ink. It is presented without altering the traditional sense of the dish, but with a new color and texture, converting it into a distinguished, elegant construction that is flavorfully, texturally and visually impressive.

This dish expresses all wonder of the philosophy and laboriousness that defines the cuisine of Stéphane Carrade’s–a chef who has succeeded in putting forth a completely personal message… a combination which, it must be said, can wear on a guest at times for its exhaustive baroque style. Nonetheless, exuberance is coupled with wonder with two ultimate values: select products and an immaculate way of communicating them to the guest.
A supreme testimony to this element is found in these scallops. Excellent in and of themselves, seared and smoked, clean and powerful, offered alongside a succulent chicken ravioli with vegetables and juices, crowned with truffles and flowers as well as an attractive, refreshing green mango mirepoix seasoned with Espelette pepper and ginger, topped with an exciting adornment of sweet corn and bacon foam. It would be hard to find more purity, more complexity, more art and such beauty in a single dish.

Bittor Arginzoniz has an unlimited capacity for surprise. He continues to pursue his home-style revolution which has brought him so much fame–now under the title of “the hamburger”. A strange and wonderful hamburger that uses, as its protagonist, acorn-fed Iberian ham, cooked with other delicate cuts from the same pig and seasoned with chorizo pepper, garlic and salt. He molds the chopped meat as if it were a terrine, then grills it briefly. It comes out browned on the exterior and red inside, hot and aromatized with the wood oven fragrances. It is served sliced, as if it were a pork chop.
The optimal expression of fresh Iberian pork dressed with historic sensations: chorizo and embers.