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CORAL ISSUE - n° 19 - 2019 - € 10
The Art of Sailing
[ GOURMAND ] PHILIPPE LÉVEILLÉE
DON’T CALL ME CHEF! Haute cuisine is his world but despite the Michelin stars, he remains a fan of substance over style
by Marta Bernasconi - photo Nicolò Brunelli
W
e meet in Miramonti l’Altro, in Concesio, just outside
and writer – ed). I’ve even been on cookery programmes on TV but
Brescia. Chef Philippe Léveillée welcomes us to what, from
I’m basically a quiet guy and I can’t stand people who scream and
the outside at least, looks more like a private home than a restaurant
shout for show. I think I still have a good reputation but I’m not
with two Michelin stars. Born in Brittany but entirely at home in this
looking for points at any cost. In my kitchen people speak to each
landlocked part of the world, the maestro immediate-ly dismisses
other with respect. No one is al-lowed raise their voice to anyone
any temptation to indulge in overly sophisticated interpretations of
else. We are all people”. That deep sinceri-ty and respect have their
his work: “There is no philosophy behind my cooking. I was not an
roots in the upbringing Léveillée was given by his fa-ther, an oyster
unhap-py child. I have no message for people. I had a wonderful
farmer, a man who liked a challenge and was not afraid of sac-
childhood and I am a cook. I see myself as a craftsman and I do
rifice. Two prerequisites for his particularly tough job. But there
my cooking with modesty. I have been here since 1987 and I have
were al-ways lots of restauranteurs and cooks coming and going in
met some great people over the course of the last 32 years from
the Léveillée household and young Philippe’s interest was piqued
Marchesi to Veronelli and Gianni Mura (a famous Italian journalist
by a tiny detail that proved fascinating to the small boy: the round
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This page, some of his most famous dishes: top, “The Cock Laid an Egg”, above, “Alice in Wonder Garden”, top right “Carbonara of Red Shrimp”, opposite “#volevoessereunpomodoro!!!” (#Iwantedtobeatomato!!!). Opening page: Chef Léveillée
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[ GOURMAND ]
Presentation is both vitally important and absolutely ephemeral: beauty on its own is meaning-less. The main thing is to create an explosive dish that is also very beautiful Philippe Léveillée with chef Arianna Gatti. His mostly female team also includes Martina Spera, who is responsible for main
ph. Désirée Sormani
courses. His wife Daniela Piscini takes care of front-of-house
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button on the chef’s uniform. “I never forgot that button. I started
all very simple compared to 20 years ago”. And how important is
hotel school in Saomure at the age of 16. The top 10 students got a
presentation? “Presentation is both vital and absolutely ephemeral:
job in Paris. I came third and chose Lucas Carton, which was the
beauty on its own is meaningless. The main thing is to create an
top restaurant back then. I really paid my dues working with Alain
explosive dish that is also very beautiful – the two things have to
Senderens but it was also a great stroke of luck”. After his spell
go together. I personally love buying plates and tableware that I
at the Paris restaurant, the Breton began travelling and working
just happen upon. Maybe just six or 12 pieces. I put them aside
around the world and even sailed across the Atlantic five times – no
and then come back to them when I’m making something that
mean feat by any stand-ards. At 25, he began working as a chef on
goes well with them. Even in restaurants, people no longer buy
a 25-metre sailing yacht owned by a big German company in Rio
full services in a style that has to work with dishes of all kinds”.
de Janeiro. That experience was an eye-opener: “I love travelling
Léveillée is a great racconteur and it is no surprise that his
and I am very outgoing and chameleon-like. I have no par-ticular
customers are as fond of him as they are of his cuisine. One
favourite style of cooking or food. In the kitchen, my team is from
American came back with his wife for 18 years on the trot to
all over Italy, north to south, as well as from France, Peru and the
sample all the restaurant’s specialities. But the chef is also a very
United States. In terms of ingredients, I taste everything that’s
earthbound, straight-talking man. In his world, you talk and
new and I like creating. With regard to onboard cooking, there
then you taste which is exactly what we do, sampling some of the
are now conservation methods, such as vacuum-packing which
delights on the menu, beautifully introduced by his wife, Daniela,
mean you can have the makings of a very large, high-class dinner
the life and soul of the dining room. Unforgettable dishes that
aboard. The space on large yachts is good for cooking too. It is
speak volumes about Léveillée and his talent.