Cover Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel in Venice, Italy
Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel in Venice, Italy
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The four-week chef residency, taking place from January to February 2025, features four acclaimed chefs from iconic Belmond properties in Italy, who will curate a one-off menu of classic and exclusive dishes
As the year comes to a close, many of us find ourselves dreaming of our holiday destinations in 2025 and carving some time in our schedule to explore their cultural heritage and diverse culinary offerings. For us, one of the countries that always ticks these boxes is Italy, a food lover’s paradise which gave birth to iconic foods such as pasta, pizza and Fiorentina steak.
The bel paese, or “a beautiful country,” is a mosaic of culinary traditions shaped by its 20 distinct regions. Each of these places boasts iconic dishes that are deeply tied to the local ingredients and techniques. But the fact is, immersing yourself fully into their rich traditions will take weeks or even months, which is why culinary events like the Mandala Club x Belmond’s ‘A Taste of Italy’ serve as a great way to savour the different regions’ authentic flavours and experiences without needing passports, before embarking on a full Italian journey.
Taking place at Mandala Club from January 14 to February 15, this four-week culinary residency features four acclaimed chefs from Belmond’s most iconic Italian properties in Venice, Tuscany, Taormina and Amalfi Coast.
Sicilian caponata at Otto Geleng
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From Hotel Cipriani is Vania Ghedini, the head chef of the property’s one-Michelin-starred restaurant Oro. In town for the media preview at Mandala Club this week, she shared that she will kickstart the series with a chef residency from January 14 to 18. “The inspiration for the dishes follows the same roots of Oro, which is to transmit Veneto cuisine into the menu,” she explained. However, Ghedini will infuse her dishes with her Emilia Romagna heritage and Moroccan influences, shaped by her time working in the kitchens of lauded tables in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Enticing us at the preview, she mentioned the highlights on her menu include the asparagus with peanut sauce, the first dish she created for Oro; a refreshing salad with black garlic sauce, sesame mayonnaise and aromatic herbs; and millefoglie di frutta, or layers of fresh fruit topped with celery ice cream.
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Chef Vania Ghedini from Oro restaurant at Hotel Cipriani
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Taking over from Ghedini is Roberto Toro, the chef at Otto Geleng Restaurant situated within Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina. Taking over the kitchen from January 21 to 25, Toro will bring the spirit of Sicilian cuisine with dishes like caponata, rigatoni “alla Norma” and tiramisu.
After a gastronomic trip to Sicily, your taste buds will travel to Tuscany when chef Daniele Sera, who runs the lauded Tosca restaurant at Castello di Casole, takes over the kitchen from February 4 to 8. A champion of the farm-to-table culinary approach that honours the Tuscan tradition of using hyper-seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, Sera’s repertoire includes shareable starters like the Tuscan panzanella and Sienese peposo, as well as main courses of cappellacci with pappa al pomodoro.
Above Asparagus, oscietra caviar
Above Millefoglie di frutta
Asparagus, oscietra caviar
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Closing the series is Armando Aristarco, the executive chef of Ristorante Belvedere at Caruso in the Amalfi Coast. Aristarco will take us there from February 11 to 15 with a menu that celebrates the traditions of la dieta Mediterranea (Mediterranean diet); his dishes are inspired by home-style recipes, seasonal ingredients and slow cooking.
With all these culinary residencies happening at Mandala Club in the first two months of 2025, it is indeed a great way to rediscover Italy’s culinary gems, enticing many gourmands to plan a trip there and eat their way through the country’s various regional delicacies.
Reservations for Mandala Club x Belmond: A Taste of Italy open on December 11, 2024. Click here to book your spots now.
Credits
Images: Belmond
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
