An Italian Treat by Chef Roberto Gatto

Italian Chef Roberto Gatto held masterclasses in the country to share his passion for Italian cooking

Jovial, humble and charming, Chef Roberto Gatto of Belmond Hotel, Cipriani was wide-eyed with excitement when we first met him in Bombay. Hailing from Venice, the Italian Chef was on his first visit to India to host an authentic Italian Food Festival with The Oberoi Group. Under the partnership, the chef organised and led masterclasses in Bombay and Delhi.
A chef through and through, he passionately talks about his love for food. For him, if a dish is not perfect, he will make it endless number of times till it is. Now this is the case with most of the chefs, but Chef Roberto goes a step further. He confesses to having made
his signature Brill fish with artichoke at least 200 times till it met his expectations. 200 times! "It has to be perfect," he proudly admits.
Chef Roberto's passion for food is clearly visible in his body language. His eyes light up with excitement and the aura around the table is filled with energy. Inquisitive to know what made him fall in love with food? He reveals, "Food has been an integral part of my life. I started cooking with my mother when I was in school. I must have been around 10 - 13 years old, but I was an expert in making cakes, pizzas and pastas. My friends were huge fans of the pasta which I would cook after our football practice. They still remember its taste. Can you believe it?" he exclaims.
Cooking for almost 40 years now, the chef has worked across hotels in Switzerland, Northern Italy, Milan, Rome, Los Angeles, Monte Carlo, Morocco and finally, Venice. For the masterclasses in India, he put forth a menu that was a marvellous blend of his culinary journey. Famous for creating magic with traditional recipes, Chef Roberto served Tagliolini Verdi Gratinati, Brodetto Di Pesce Alla Chioggiotta, Pasta e Fagioli, Risi e Bisi, Meringata Cipriani under his Indian cloche. And has he modified his recipes for the Indian palate? "Yes," says Chef Roberto, "We realised that vegetarian food is a huge part of the Indian culture. So, we made vegetarian versions of a few dishes. For example, the gnocchi and the pasta in the pasta soup are eggless."
He strongly believes in using local ingredients for his cooking. Moreover, he always makes it a point to try the local cuisine as much as possible. "Quite a few people here have recommended good Italian restaurants in Bombay, but I don't want to eat Italian!" So has he tried the authentic Indian cuisine yet? "I am a huge fan of Indian food. I had visited an Indian restaurant in Venice but the food served there was completely different from what is served here. The curries served here are absolutely delicious!"
Planning to incorporate a few Indian ingredients in his dishes, the chef states that he is keen to know more about the Indian cuisine, not just to increase his knowledge, but also to cater to the increasing number of Indian tourists in Venice. That's where the association with Oberoi also comes into play.
Chef Roberto reveals that Executive Chef Satbir Bakshi, The Oberoi, Mumbai, will be travelling to Venice to hold masterclasses on Indian food for the chefs at Belmond. This partnership with the Belmond group of hotels extends to the Belmond Villa San Michele hotel as well. Chef Attilio Di Fabrizio from Villa San Michele was also in India conducting masterclasses in Delhi and Bombay.
As the afternoon passes, Chef Roberto discusses his Indian itinerary. Looking out of the window at the simmering blue Marine Drive he shares his plans to take a walk on the bustling promenade, all alone at night! Now here's a chef who leads an adventurous life! Check out his recipes here.