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LE GOÛT
THE DIVINE
CUCÙCINA THIS SEASON, LA FOLIE DOUCE VAL D'ISÈRE IS WELCOMING A NEW RESIDENCE THAT PROMISES THE BEST OF ITALY. AT THE HELM IS FRANCESCO IBBA, A SARDINIAN CHEF, WHO UPHOLDS ITALIAN CUISINE WITH AS MUCH GENEROSITY AS FINESSE AND ALL IN THIS EXCEPTIONAL MOUNTAIN SETTING. VIVA ITALIA E BENVENUTI ALLA CUCÙCINA! "The cuisine for me is visceral, I cook what I feel and what I like, I express myself through that", confesses Francesco Ibba, the chef of Cucùcina, La Folie Douce Val d'Isère’s new warm yet, very gourmet and refined eatery. His inspirations? Whatever surrounds him at the moment, as well as his memories of childhood or happy shared moments. An inspiration dictated by the rules of his approach to products, however also by his sensitivity, Francesco Ibba combines this to refine them without ever distorting them.
ITALY ON THE PLATE Here, the chef rarefies Italy with mastery. However, this is no wonder for this thirty-year-old, who
has bathed in the marvellous flavours of Italy since his early childhood. Francesco Ibba was born and raised in Sardinia and has been lulled by the fragrances of his mama Rosa and his father’s, ‘the chef’ cuisine. After having passed through some great establishments, including recently the Bottega, for which he obtained his Michelin star in 2019 (and a 16/20 at Gault & Millau), and his Osteria, very courted tables in Geneva, the Italian chef now officiates on the summits of Val d'Isère. This generous cuisine is to be savoured without restraint, where his technique and training are absolutely impeccable, and all created in his image, thus delivering all the flavours of Italy and the mountains.
Cucucina boasts nothing but local, fresh products, for the most part sourced from Italy, but also the Alps and are carefully selected by Francesco Ibba. Sustainably sourced fish from the northern French coasts and Mediterranean, shellfish from Brittany, fresh lake fish, and stalked game meat such as, wild boar or roe deer. Here he takes pride in marinading the meat for several days with salt, spices and wine before simmering to become a dish that truly melts-in-the-mouth, accompanied by a rich and gourmet jus with Modica chocolate, sour coffee or forest fruits. Of course, we cannot miss the wonders of Italian specialities such as, polenta or canederli, in which inspiration was taken from the "lowly"