Chef Davide Caranchini, one of the brightest stars of Italian cuisine, has arrived in the kitchens of the Congusto Institute. His Materia restaurant, located in Cernobbio on Lake Como, won its first Michelin star a few years ago and has earned the praise of international critics, including the New York Times and Forbes . With Davide Caranchini, the students of the chef course had the opportunity to learn from a master who was able to combine the tradition of the Como area with experimentation and the contamination of global influences.
Here we tell you what he taught, what are the characteristics of his cuisine and what advice he gave to future chefs.
Who is Davide Caranchini?
Davide Caranchini is one of the youngest and most talented Italian chefs, who won a Michelin star in 2019 with his restaurant Materia, located on the shores of Lake Como. His cuisine is a mix of tradition, innovation, research and experimentation, which enhances the products of the Como area, but also the international influences he has acquired working in prestigious restaurants such as Le Gavroche in London and Noma in Copenhagen. Davide Caranchini is also a fan of the plant world, which he explores with curiosity and creativity, creating dishes that surprise with their nuances of taste, their textures and their presentations.
What did you teach the students of the Congusto Institute?
Davide Caranchini brought a piece of his lake cuisine to the classroom, which also touches the forest and the mountains. He explained how much complexity there is behind an apparent simplicity and how much thought goes into a gesture or the application of a technique. Between acidity, fermentations and a range of super current flavor nuances, the great passion for the vegetal world comes out in the preparations made, which the chef cultivated during his experience at Noma in Copenhagen, considered one of the best restaurants in the world. It's not an easy cuisine, and for this reason our students passed a great test.
Risotto with smoked butter, birch, sea buckthorn
This dish represents the theme of research and contamination, which characterizes Caranchini's cuisine. The rice is cooked with a birch broth, a tree typical of Nordic countries, which gives the dish a smoky and woody aroma. Smoked butter adds additional depth of flavor, while sea buckthorn, a tart, vitamin C-rich berry, adds freshness and color. The result is a creamy, balanced and original risotto, which requires precision and attention in cooking and creaming.
Pickled whitefish, its smoked eggs and bitter salads
This dish expresses the strong bond with the territory, which is one of Caranchini's sources of inspiration. Whitefish is a lake fish, which is subjected to a marinade in vinegar, sugar and salt, which enhances its flavor and consistency. The whitefish eggs are smoked, creating a contrast of flavors and temperatures. Bitter salads, such as radicchio and dandelion, complete the dish with their strong flavor and crunchiness.
What is Davide Caranchini's advice to future chefs?
The students of the Congusto Institute had the opportunity to learn from one of the best Italian chefs, who shared his experience, his vision and his secrets with them. But what shouldn't be missing to become a professional chef? Here is chef Caranchini's response: "First of all, ambition, a fuel to always do better, then discipline, an indispensable element in this job and, above all, curiosity which allows you to never get tired and to always look for new stimuli ".
Experience as a source of inspiration
Davide Caranchini's lesson was a source of inspiration and learning for the students of the Congusto Institute, who were able to discover the secrets of a starred cuisine, which combines the lake, the forest and the mountains, tradition and innovation, research and contamination. This cuisine has led the Materia restaurant to apply to enter the prestigious list ofThe World's 50 Best Restaurants , which every year rewards the best restaurants in the world. Who will be the winner of 2024? We'll find out soon.
If you also want to follow his example and become a true chef, don't hesitate to contact the Congusto Institute, the professional cooking school that offers you the opportunity to study with great professionals and make your dream come true.
We are waiting for you in the classroom!
